Elegy for the Heavens
by Dr. Movie
Summary: To awaken from a nightmare which seemed eternal is a wonderful thing, but sometimes the world we awaken to is not so beautiful as we'd hoped.
1. Elegy for the Heavens Prologue and Chap...

Elegy for the Heavens  
by Asura   
Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com  
  
Well, this is my magnum opus for BSSM, as it were.   
This tale I imagine will reach considerable lengths, and my  
current goal is to have a 13 chapter composition with a set  
of omake and a final epilogue. In the first chapter, along   
with the prologue, the protagonists will be introduced and   
we'll get a look at basic life. From there, things will   
expand to cover Crystal Tokyo, the Moon, the Solar System   
and maybe a little bit even beyond that. However, of   
importance is as always the fact that Bishoujo Senshi Sailor  
Moon is owned by the one and only Naoko Takeuchi, wife of  
my favorite manga artist. She owns the rights of the series,  
along with Toei animation, DiC, and Cloverway.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'To walk along the beach and bask in the sun, after the   
fall... To let all the memories sweep back into my heart and   
show me the truth of my actions... I ask for nothing more.'  
-Jadeite  
  
Prologue  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Nothing is eternal. Nothing made by the hands of man,   
at least, can last for all of time. Of course, there is the   
question of whether or not time is finite, or if perhaps it   
simply goes on without ever ending. Perhaps, then, it is a   
loop that continues to chase itself for all time. Kingdoms   
will be built, lives will be lived, people will grow old   
and die and kingdoms will fall throughout the span of these   
cycles, often imitating those that have come before them,   
yet there are always slight differences as each age finds   
its own identity and thus it is a spiral rather than a   
circle.   
  
Crystal Tokyo was the lifeblood of the Shin-Muun   
kingdom that was young for its size and power. Ruled from a   
castle on the Moon by Neo-Queen Serenity, who had fought   
much in her time on Earth and had given much of her life to   
create the utopian city. While she had possibly sacrificed   
the most and expended the most effort, she was not alone in   
giving much of herself to bring about this future city. Her   
husband, the proud King Endymion, had been through nearly   
as much. Further, to again an only slightly lesser extent,   
each of the Sailor Senshi who had fought with her to defeat   
the forces that had threatened their then-home. Earth and   
their home were greatly intertwined with the fate of the   
city.  
  
Below them, of course was the Earth, which still   
flourished and lived on, the majority of its people always   
blissfully ignorant of the kingdom above them on the Moon.   
The great battles that had been fought on the planet's   
surface were never seen, and the people could never know   
how many times they had come no more than an eyelash's   
breadth from destruction only to be saved by the Sailor   
Senshi who resided in the city on the Moon. It mattered   
little though, for the people were safe in their lives and   
content in going about the business of normal life.   
  
Yet, in every great and perfect picture there is a   
flaw. A splinter worms its way into the mind and brings out   
the truth that something is eerily out of place. Out of a   
million possible analogies, the closest to find the mark   
was a simple consideration that it was like a single, small   
crystal amongst a cluster of them that was cracked without   
explanation. It was a thing that could be overlooked so   
easily, and yet there was someone who saw it. A sign such   
as that was unmistakable when it was noticed, and it was   
easily taken as an omen of darkness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They were the two most distant of all the Sailor   
Senshi, a fact related to their domains of power, but yet   
it was not the obvious reasons of which one might think of   
that kept them shielded from the others. Their domains were   
Time and Ruin, the two provinces that most mortals would   
fear to tread or even consider. For all their considerable   
power, however, they were bound with responsibility and   
strong hearts that shielded their abilities from abuse. The   
real reason they were separated from the other Senshi was   
the simple fact that their powers were constantly needed to   
guard the Shin-Muun Kingdom from any threats it might face.   
Such tasks required endless vigilance, and much of their   
time was devoured by the creed that they followed.  
  
"Setsuna-san, you must have seen it as well..." A   
quiet voice spoke out in the dimly lit room that served as   
the observation point for the Outer Senshi in their   
guarding the system from threats born from without. They   
also had taken up the duty of watching the inner system,   
for the other Senshi were occupied with the maintenance of   
Crystal Tokyo.   
  
"I noticed just before it faded away. Where could the   
Scrying Pool have picked up such an image, though?" The   
voice that responded was a smoother, matured voice that was   
befitting of a woman who could calm anyone with just a few   
words. Despite that, there was no doubt that it was also a   
beautiful and kind voice belonging to a woman who couldn't   
be older than her mid-twenties, and, by appearances, that   
would be true.  
  
"I'm not sure. It doesn't make much sense, does it?"   
The quieter, younger voice responded, while its owner   
circled a round table some two meters in width. Its surface   
was glimmering softly with black opalescence that gave no   
definite reflection and seemed liquid in texture.   
  
"None at all. It always gives us a source for the   
images." Setsuna's response came with a tone of perplexity.   
The situation was most unusual, and in most cases something   
unexplained was not something good.   
  
"We should go out to investigate. Michiru-san and   
Haruka-san should search the Moon and the Western   
Hemisphere of Earth. I'll go back to Japan and see if I can   
find anything." She didn't need to mention that Setsuna   
needed to remain there and watch the Scrying Pool. Next to   
Michiru, she had the most powerful sense of intuition, and   
she had the superior wisdom of her age as well as dominion   
over Time to make her the best for the task of watching for   
new developments.  
  
"I'll let them know. Be careful, Hotaru-chan."   
Setsuna spoke still with the affection befitting a mother   
for a daughter, though she did not claim that right nearly   
as greatly as did Michiru, who had been the most involved   
with Hotaru's short time as a baby. Of course, her real   
father, Professor Souichi Tomoe, still kept watch over her   
despite the lengths of time that frequently separated their   
visits.   
  
"I will, Setsuna-mama." Hotaru's response was a kind   
consideration of that time when they had been almost a true   
family. They still were to a certain degree, but time had   
matured the Senshi of Ruin past the point where she would   
frequently address her in that familiar way.   
  
The room fell quiet at that point, the only sound   
present the echo of Hotaru's boots as she left the Room of   
Watching for the rest of the Crystal Watcher's Spire.   
Setsuna could not help but experience a bit of apprehension   
as the other Senshi departed. What had happened did not   
make sense. An image they had seen that had no sort of   
identification was almost literally unheard of, thanks to   
the powerful magical nature of the Scrying Pool. Numerous   
times it had defended Crystal Tokyo from distant, if minor   
threats, but it seemed as if for some reason fate had   
suddenly denied them one of their most powerful tools:   
Knowledge of what was coming.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 1: Yomigaero: Hidoi yume kara yaburo! - Jadeite's   
Dawn  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jadeite found the clothes he was wearing unusual.   
Rather, it wasn't so much that they were unusual but more   
the fact that they were so amazingly common that he found   
them slightly disturbing. For the longest period of time   
that he could remember, he had covered himself in the blue,   
violet trimmed uniform that had been given to him before   
the fall of the White Moon Kingdom. Wearing a pair of blue   
jeans and a plain white T-shirt, he felt oddly out of   
place. He couldn't deny the fact that the clothing was more   
comfortable than his uniform had been, nor could he ignore   
the fact that the uniform had become worn and battered with   
the passage of time.   
  
He had possessed a considerable amount of time to   
think about the White Moon Kingdom over the last years, the   
number of which he could not even recognize anymore. That   
darkness that he had joined, and that had become an   
intimate part of him, was fragile beneath its overwhelming   
exterior, always turning inwards upon itself and ripping   
its own supports to shreds. The foundation only remained   
strong because the one who provided it possessed the most   
brute force and cunning, and any that had even irked their   
leader, Queen Beryl, had paid the price. Such had been his   
fate.   
  
Years, perhaps even decades or centuries, had passed   
during the time he had been frozen in a hell of crystal,   
forced to look upon an endless sea of those who would share   
his fate. He had failed Beryl, but he had found his   
salvation in the information he acquired in his final   
defeat. However, she would not hear it, and he was cast   
into crystal never learning the information that may well   
have granted her victory. The Sailor Senshi, their powers   
still untested and slumbering to a large degree, had   
managed to best him time and time again thanks generally to   
his own arrogance.   
  
He felt thankful for his defeat, though. That dark   
fate he had been dealt had given him time to think of his   
own free will, without fear of Beryl's punishments for   
dissent and free of the corrupting influence of the very   
environment itself that had been the Dark Kingdom. Things   
lost from his memory had returned in that cold blackness,   
reviving parts of himself he had thought lost forever. He   
could remember Beryl seducing him and making him see the   
advantages of being on her side. Every moment was vivid and   
undeniable in his painfully clear hindsight. Many times he   
would have winced, had he possessed the freedom of   
movement.   
  
The memory of being used stung him, while the pain of   
realizing the destruction he had wrought burned him with   
guilt and brought forth a righteous anger long buried in   
his heart. In that crystal prison, he resolved to not let   
himself die, forsaking the peace of death for the chance,   
however slim, to escape some day and try to correct his   
mistakes. Beryl would know the wrath of one of Earth's Four   
Guardians when the time came.   
  
It turned out, as things often do, to not really be   
his own choice when he was finally set free. It was quite   
sudden in his own mind when one of the Sailor Senshi   
appeared before him in his prison and raised up her weapon.   
His world exploded about him, and he fell to his knees free   
for the first time in what was easily years. Then it came   
that they spoke, one needing answers, the other needing   
reassurance.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Awaken, Jadeite," she had said to him, in her young   
and quiet voice that was all too serious. Vague flashes of   
memories gave him her identity, that of the Senshi who   
should not be there. Ancient warnings of dire tides were   
awakened as he looked upon her, her purple sailor fuku   
fluttering in the soft breeze that remained in the wake of   
the destruction of all the crystal prisons.  
  
"Saturn... What?" He wished he could better dignify his   
return to the world of the living, but he was weak. Having   
been unmoving for so long, he found it hard to call   
strength to his muscles and make them obey his orders.   
Despite the odds, however, he managed to bring himself up   
to his feet. His pride still demanded that he stand tall   
regardless of how weak he may be. "Do you resurrect me to   
bring me death?"  
  
"Only if you give me reason to kill you." Her   
response was simple and as soft as her previous words. "I   
do not like to kill needlessly. It isn't my forte." It was   
then that she stepped back from him, her short height   
making it hard to look up at him. "You've been down here a   
long time, since nearly the beginning."  
  
"The others still live on Earth, then." Of course   
they must, if a Sailor Senshi was breaking him free of the   
personal Hell Beryl had made for him. An eerie revelation   
was brought about by that realization. The Dark Kingdom had   
lost. There was no other way that she could be there. He   
was given to mixed emotions at that point, perhaps humility   
at the knowledge of defeat and, perhaps, faint satisfaction   
that in the end those who were just had won out. "All of   
them, I suspect?"  
  
"Yes. I was the last of the nine to be recalled to   
consciousness." Only the Sailor Starlights had appeared   
later, and they were not of the Solar System. She found her   
purple eyes focused on the blond king, little effort being   
needed to discover that he was weakened greatly from his   
time of imprisonment. "You are still tired. Lean on me, and   
I will take you from this place. Do not worry, I will not   
tell the others yet. They need not know."  
  
"Why are you offering to help me?" A slight quiver in   
his proud, commanding voice gave tangible sense to his   
exhaustion and the fact that he had been trying to spot   
something against which he could rest while speaking.   
Nothing was there, however, aside from shattered crystals   
and the failed bodies of youma that could not survive being   
frozen. He was thankful that she made such an offer to him,   
but he did not understand it. He was their enemy, after   
all.  
  
"Would you rather I cut you down while you are weak?   
I can do so easily, but I refuse to do so until you have   
regained your strength." Her voice was still quiet and   
young, but it possessed strength of spirit that Jadeite had   
not heard in someone for ages. Certainly his own voice was   
commanding and powerful, but it didn't have the more gentle   
compassionate strength that Sailor Saturn seemed to have.   
"Besides, I make excellent green tea."   
  
"I..." That was a bit unexpected, and he didn't know   
how to answer it immediately. Such a shift from serious to   
soft and playful was something of which he was incapable,   
and yet it occurred to him that it was part of what had   
made the Sailor Senshi what they were. "As you wish, then...   
I am defeated, as are those I fought for. I have no road to   
walk, now."  
  
"Yet you were not beaten. How do you suspect that I   
found you? Your energy still existed, and I traced it to   
this place. However, if you feel it necessary to return to   
that path you once took, we will battle, and you will   
fall." Her words were no threat, he knew, but more a   
solemn, quiet promise of fact. Against the Senshi of Ruin,   
he stood little chance in a battle, despite the fact that   
he had easily felled Prince Endymion himself.   
  
"Very well, then," he finally answered after several   
long moments of silence. The words were really prompted by   
the fact that he fell down to one knee, unable to support   
himself any further. "That road has been blocked off. I   
have many new paths open..." What he spoke was the truth and   
perhaps the most genuine thing he had said in over a   
millennium. The Dark Kingdom was gone, and he was free of   
its influence, even if he would carry the burden of it on   
his shoulders for the remainder of his life. Yet, despite   
that, he had nearly complete freedom over the direction his   
life would take.  
  
"Good. Thank you," She said to him, though he did not   
understand why. He tried to work out the reason in his   
tired mind, but he was interrupted by the soft feel of her   
gloved hand on his back followed by another on his arm that   
sought to help him rise. Then, his arm was around her   
shoulders, and hers around his waist, as she used the   
Silence Glaive, the weapon of nigh-infinite power, as a   
walking stick to take them from the place where he had been   
trapped for so long. Jadeite didn't look back, and could   
not have at that point. However, even if he had possessed   
the strength, he would not have.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So it had come to pass that he found himself sitting on the   
front porch of the large house belonging to the Tomoe   
family as what could easily be mistaken as a normal man   
enjoying the spring sun and the sound of birds as they   
celebrated the new season. Those who had known him when he   
was one of the Four Guardians of Earth's Prince would   
perhaps recognize him the most easily, for he had found to   
a degree that calm, noble demeanor he once had possessed.   
  
Sailor Saturn's reasons for freeing him seemed odd to   
him, in a way. The best answer he had gotten had been a   
simple 'I felt that in the times coming, you would be   
needed.' He had seen no reason to question that, though,   
and had accepted her intuition as the motivation behind her   
actions. He certainly would not argue with them, for it had   
given him a chance to redeem himself. It would not be easy,   
and the hardest part he knew would come soon. The time   
rapidly approached when he must meet and apologize to Neo-  
Queen Serenity and her love, King Endymion.  
  
The thought of meeting them again brought him a   
considerable amount of anxiety. The memories were ever   
burned in his mind of the forces of the Dark Kingdom   
smashing through the defenders of the White Moon Kingdom   
and killing those Princesses that been the Sailor Senshi.   
The deaths of the future Queen and her beloved Prince would   
have brought him to tears if he had possessed his heart   
back then, but all he had done was stand and watch   
impassively.   
  
Such things were better left buried in the past, but   
he knew that they'd be called to the surface when he met   
them again. They could not forgive him, he was certain, for   
what he had done, but it was necessary in his own mind to   
offer some sort of apology and an offer of trying to right   
the wrongs he had caused. What would they ask of him,   
though, if they agreed? His consideration of the matter for   
the day was interrupted by a young, cheerful voice from the   
gates to the yard.  
  
"Good afternoon!" came the call from the young Tomoe   
Hotaru. Jadeite's gray eyes focused on the newly appeared   
girl as she returned home after her day at school. She was   
older, of course, and finishing high school. Her height had   
increased considerably since she had been in junior high,   
though she was still rather short. Her black hair had grown   
a hint longer, but the style remained basically the same   
straight cut it had always been. It formed a perfect frame   
for her pale face and violet eyes. She was no longer sickly   
as she had once been, free as she was of the corrupting   
influences of darkness.   
  
"Welcome home." Jadeite spoke the words quietly, much   
as he always talked. He had gotten used to the daily   
routine over the past few weeks. She would go to school in   
the morning, dressed in her white and black school fuku and   
he would assist her father with his work. He still didn't   
know quite how Hotaru had convinced the man to allow him to   
work with him, but they got along well and Jadeite's   
knowledge was expanding into a new field he had never   
considered before. "Did you have a good day?"  
  
"It was a little slow, but I learned some interesting   
things," replied Hotaru as she walked along the stone   
walkway to the porch. "I'm glad the day is over though.   
I've been wanting dinner for a while now." Such was the way   
it happened each day in that respect as well. Sometimes   
they'd pause for a few minutes and he'd listen to the   
details of her day while others she'd head inside to start   
fixing dinner. Oftentimes it would also occur that Jadeite   
would help with it in an effort to show his appreciation   
for being allowed to stay there. When it came that dinner   
was prepared and that Hotaru, her father the Professor, and   
Jadeite seated themselves at the kitchen table and   
proceeded to enjoy the meal that they had prepared.   
  
Work was generally not a topic for the dinner table,   
and Jadeite did not ever seek to intrude on the father and   
daughter, who spent a good deal of their time discussing   
various matters of school and life. In the end it usually   
tallied up that Jadeite had made only a few comments on   
general matters. Sometimes of course they talked to him as   
well, and he enjoyed those moments greatly. Secretly,   
though, he actually also enjoyed the quiet time he spent   
watching them. The Professor truly loved his daughter, and   
Jadeite found that admirable.  
  
So life went on, each day much the same. Oddly   
content and pleased with the current situation, no one ever   
voiced a complaint. However, there was always a sense that   
Hotaru was waiting for something that only she knew was   
coming. In turn, Jadeite also seemed to anticipate   
something, finding himself able to read both her and the   
feelings of the world around him. The times would demand   
action of them some day soon. However, that day was not yet   
upon them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Springtime in Japan brings about a miraculous   
occurrence that appears each year without error. While it   
shows some variance in its choice of time to actually   
appear, typically the end of April is the chosen time for   
the cherry trees to blossom. That burst of new life brings   
out many festivals and celebrations among the people of the   
land, as it in a way represents the entire spring in   
itself.  
  
A single glance out any window of the Tomoe home made   
the season obvious. The air was filled with the soft light   
pink petals of the cherry trees as they fell from the   
flowers and filled the air like snow, swirling in the wind   
and covering anything that happened to lie near the trees.   
It was a beautiful sight that drew many observers from the   
people of Crystal Tokyo, particularly people who worked and   
enjoyed going out on lunch breaks to enjoy the scenery.  
  
Two such people who sat outside with simple lunches   
watching the cherry blossoms were Jadeite and Professor   
Tomoe. In all actuality it wasn't lunch time anymore, that   
hour having passed some time ago. They had spent a long   
time working in the laboratory, and time had slipped away   
from them. While the Professor did the majority of the   
scientific work, Jadeite spent much of his time gathering   
the necessary materials and ingredients for whatever   
project was on cue for the moment. He also found that he   
was gradually becoming more able to offer insights into the   
work.  
  
As Jadeite slipped off his lab coat and enjoyed the   
fresh air on his arms that were left uncovered by his T-  
shirt he speculated as to why he was able to offer more   
help as time had gone on. It seemed that he was beginning   
to remember things he hadn't been able to recall since the   
Silver Millennium. In that time, he had become a powerful   
warrior, but more importantly he had been a strong magician   
as well. His knowledge of arcane science had been great,   
and had in fact been why he had been selected to become a   
Guardian of the Earth, which in turn gave him even greater   
knowledge of magical secrets. He had always been a fast   
learner for those things, and it seemed that he was   
beginning to pick up on them again.  
  
For his part, Jadeite had to admit that Professor   
Tomoe was a genius. Considering the man, he found it   
interesting to consider that had Earth and the Moon not met   
such a bitter roadblock Professor Tomoe might well have   
been selected to be a Guardian of the Earth for his own   
brilliance, or at the very least, an apprentice to them. It   
brought a faint rueful smile to his face when he considered   
the idea. They had never had many apprentices, and Jadeite   
had failed to ever train one to completion. His best   
student had been lost to his own differing beliefs, and had   
been cast out in a slight schism at the behest of the   
Moon's political influence. Jadeite had always suspected   
that the man wanted to take the Moon as his gem, but he had   
never been an evil person. The Professor fortunately lacked   
those types of qualities.   
  
Still, Jadeite didn't have much reason to really   
consider the idea of an apprentice. He still needed to   
confront King Endymion and, above all else, apologize for   
nearly killing him. Even so, he couldn't help but feel a   
little bit of pride in the fact that he had been able to   
best him, though they had both been far weaker than they   
had been in the Silver Millennium. He felt too that he   
could give him his loyalty safely if it was accepted, and   
if he was right about the personality of the King, he would   
be forgiven. He had to prepare himself for the possibility   
of that failing, though. What would he do if he were   
refused the chance to become a Guardian of the Earth again?   
The answer presented itself simply enough.  
  
"Papa!" Hotaru had returned home from another day of   
school, her darkly dressed form appearing amongst the   
cherry blossoms at the end of the front walk. Jadeite   
allowed himself a slight smile as her father rose to go and   
give her a hug. She looked pretty, in that moment, as she   
stood there before she ran to meet her father, with the   
cherry tree's petals around her in a soft breeze that also   
lifted her dark hair slightly to the side. She wore a black   
fuku to school those days, which was supposed to have more   
white on it than it actually did. Somehow she'd managed to   
convince the school to let her wear the darker colors.  
  
"Hotaru-chan!" the Professor said as he embraced her.   
He even lifted her up a bit, though he quickly put her back   
down. "You're getting too big for me to do that anymore.   
For that matter, you've been past the little girl stage for   
a long time." Hotaru needed only to finish one week of   
class before she would be graduated from high school. She   
always tried to attend class regularly, but sometimes she   
had to attend to the duties she possessed born of being one   
of the Sailor Senshi. She handled it well, though, and the   
others had not minded letting her remain on Earth to finish   
her schooling. Truthfully, she had learned enough from   
Setsuna and also from Ami that she had no real need to go   
to school, but she enjoyed the experience since no one in   
the classes feared her anymore.  
  
"Sheesh, Papa," she said, giving a wounded look to   
her father. "I'm not that big, am I?"   
  
"Of course not, daughter," replied the Professor. She   
had grown taller and was as slender as she had always been,   
though she was not of an unhealthy frail build anymore.   
Professor Tomoe had little trouble lifting her, but he had,   
as he was prone to do, been teasing his only daughter.   
  
"We have to celebrate the sakura season," she said,   
turning to look at the petals as they floated through the   
air slowly before she turned to look at Jadeite, who had   
just risen from the porch and walked down the front walk to   
join the two of them. As with their meals, he didn't like   
to intrude on private moments, but he also found her   
drawing him to her. "You have to come too, Jadeite."  
  
"You sound as though you've already concocted a plan   
of some sort," spoke the blond man, his lips curving into a   
faint smile. As she had planned a celebration for her   
father's birthday not that long ago, it was hard to imagine   
that she didn't have some idea in mind.   
  
"Of course! You had both better make sure you're not   
going to be locked up in that laboratory on the weekend."   
Her tone was slightly demanding, but she knew they wouldn't   
disagree with her. She was too precious to her father for   
him to make her feel bad because they had to work, and she   
suspected that Jadeite would come with her simply because   
he felt as though he owed her. She hoped, though, that   
Jadeite would agree because he wanted to.  
  
"I'm sure we'll be able to arrange it, dear," said   
her father as he turned to head into the house. "For now,   
though, we've got a little more work to do, right,   
Jadeite?" Professor Tomoe looked to Jadeite as he went,   
beckoning the former Guardian of the Earth to follow him.  
  
"Yes. There's much left to be done, though I am proud   
of the progress we've made." Jadeite responded with his   
typical cool, formal tone, giving a glance at Hotaru before   
starting on his own way in. "I'll help fix dinner as soon   
as we're finished in the laboratory."  
  
"I know," she responded with a small grin. He was   
always helpful if he could find a way to be, and Hotaru   
found it to be a curious thing that someone of whom she was   
told to have been so evil could be so polite and actually   
kind. Still, she knew that things had been much different   
when Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Mercury had met   
him. She found herself looking forward to when he'd be   
around her to help, though. However, it was time to go and   
take care of her homework, so she followed them inside with   
her school pack slung over her shoulder.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was almost like being kidnapped, in a way. Jadeite   
fortunately had expected the trip, but the way that Hotaru   
had gathered both himself and her father had left no room   
to back out if either had wanted to. She seemed immensely   
satisfied, if a bit nervous, once they were safely on the   
way to the Kameido Tenjin. Kameido Tenjin was more of a   
shrine than a park, but it served both purposes well. Not   
only was the time right for the Sakura Festival, but also   
the Wisteria Festival as well. The wisteria typically took   
precedence over the cherry trees at that time of year,   
something that actually worked out well thanks to the fact   
that the people would have their attention somewhere other   
than on the cherry trees.   
  
"I can hear the sounds of the festival already,"   
remarked the Professor, who was just a bit ahead of Jadeite   
and Hotaru as they neared the steps leading up to the   
shrine and the marvelous gardens and trees around it. It   
was situated atop a small rise, just high enough that one   
couldn't see the shrine and its details from the streets.   
Soon he had begun making his way up the stairs, pausing at   
the top to look about.  
  
"They sound as though they're having a pleasant   
time," spoke Jadeite in idle response as he came to a halt   
behind Hotaru, who had joined her father near the top of   
the steps. Jadeite wondered for a moment why they hadn't   
continued all the way up the stairs, but he understood when   
he reached the same point on the stairs. Tents and booths   
lined the stone pathways of the shrine, with people   
visiting them and enjoying the particular features offered   
by each separate booth. There was a myriad of kimonos in   
varying colors, the traditional wear for such a festival. A   
few suits also stood out, but even the men wearing the   
formal wear seemed to be enjoying themselves.  
  
"Of course they are. It's a festival," said Hotaru,   
turning to look at him for a moment with her violet eyes   
before looking back. It wasn't truly the booths and people   
that garnered the attention of Hotaru, Jadeite, and the   
Professor, though. Instead, it was the gardens. Cherry   
trees, wisteria, bamboo trees, flowers, and plants were   
spread out across the grounds like a blanket of nature,   
almost all of them in bloom. It was hard to miss the sakura   
petals as they drifted through the air on a slight breeze,   
also, and it only enhanced the beauty of the scenery.  
  
"Only natural, I suppose. It's an impressive place.   
I've not seen its like since..." He trailed off, not   
finishing his sentence. Instead, he changed the subject.   
"Are there many other shrines and parks around the area?"   
The last time he had seen such things, he had been in the   
prime of his days as a Guardian of the Earth. Much of his   
time had been spent accompanying Prince Endymion or working   
on magical formulas and other various tasks associated with   
his position. Vacations had never been common, and even   
after what had been a seemingly infinite period of time, he   
could vaguely remember the sights of one such vacation.   
What startled him was the fact that he also remembered his   
companion on that day.  
  
"Sure. This is Crystal Tokyo, after all," said the   
Professor. "There's Kiba Park, and also Kameido Tenmanyu."   
He paused and tried to think of some of the others. They   
weren't all located downtown, naturally, but they were   
spread throughout the area.   
  
"Tomioka Hachimangu is another one," said Hotaru,   
chiming in. "And there is, of course, the Hikawa Shrine,   
where Rei and her grandpa live. I really wish we could have   
gone there to celebrate." Her words brought only a simple   
nod from Jadeite, who understood well the wisdom of   
avoiding Rei. If she saw Jadeite, she'd likely react in a   
hostile manner. He had, after all, tried to kill her as   
well as Ami and Usagi. He didn't think Ami would be as much   
a difficulty, since she was the calmest and most logical   
one of the entire group, but he also knew, like Hotaru,   
that the situation could become very volatile if they   
discovered that he had returned, and worse, that Hotaru had   
been responsible for that return. It could almost be   
interpreted as betrayal, if things weren't explained   
carefully.  
  
"Well, we're here now, so we had best make the most   
of it," said Hotaru's father, adjusting the white kimono he   
was wearing. It was an unusual color choice for a man, but   
he seemed to be perfectly matched to the outfit, which   
featured soft blue highlights in places and a family crest   
on the back. "I'm sure you have plans for us, though,   
dear," he added, looking towards his daughter with a soft   
smile.  
  
"Was it that obvious? First, since we're here, we   
wander around and enjoy the sights, and then tonight, we   
have to go to dinner at the new café down the street. I   
found an ad for it in the paper this morning, and made   
reservations." Hotaru launched into the itinerary with   
enthusiasm, but it was tempered by her calm nature, making   
her sound much more mature than most girls were at her age.   
  
"It is certainly a fine day," said Jadeite quietly.   
"It sounds like a good plan." He turned a slight smile on   
Hotaru then, before beginning to walk forward so that he   
could inspect the various events of the festival, his   
kimono softly fluttering in the wind about him. Hotaru had   
insisted on, with her father's permission, getting him a   
kimono specifically for the occasion, and the dark violet   
color suited him well, particularly with the sheen it   
possessed. It was a noble appearance of a different sort   
for him, of an antiquity that was young compared to him but   
still flavored with a rich tradition.  
  
"Come on, Papa!" Hotaru said, looking back to him as   
she chased after Jadeite. "Hang on! Let us catch up!" She   
caught up to him quickly and walked at his side while her   
father trailed behind them a short distance. He was close   
enough to converse with them, and so they talked as they   
perused the various events of the festival. Jadeite was   
somewhat quiet and reserved, as was typical for him, and   
the Professor was similar. Between the two of them, though,   
they kept up decent conversations with Hotaru.   
  
Rei Hino had once been the Princess of Mars during   
the Silver Millennium. Jadeite did not speak of it, but he   
remembered her with a somewhat surprising clarity. Their   
relationship had been a close one in that shining age and   
he remembered being pleased whenever they found free time   
to spend together. As it had so many other things, though,   
Queen Beryl's ambition had brought an end to that. He had   
betrayed her, and he could quite clearly recall watching   
her die. The problem was that the shrine was very similar   
to one he had once visited with her, and a single image   
remained in his mind from that day of her amidst the   
various plants and blossoming life.   
  
Rei could not know that Jadeite had been revived. If   
she had any memory of that period so long ago she would be   
more willing to fight him than any of the other Sailor   
Senshi and she would find it much more difficult than any   
of the others to trust him in what he sought to do. It was   
also quite clear in his mind that they could likely not   
achieve even the most tenuous of friendships after he had   
betrayed her and the White Moon Kingdom, yet the loss of   
any chance at ever being with her again did not trouble him   
as much as it might have. He wasn't sure why, and it was   
much of the time during the Festival that he was silent   
that was spent trying to determine just what that reason   
was. Eventually, his eyes landed on Hotaru again.  
  
"The sun will begin to fall soon. We should think   
about going to dinner," spoke Jadeite to Hotaru as she   
turned to look at him. For a moment he was stricken by the   
way her hair floated up with the turning of her head and by   
the way her eyes connected to his as he spoke. Things had   
been quiet for several moments as they all stood watching   
the cherry blossoms along the paths that were arranged in   
rows behind the event booths, and, while he suspected that   
he might startle her when he spoke, she seemed very much at   
ease and calm. There was something else though, that jarred   
a reaction within him for an instant. Something within her   
eyes when they had met his had put his inner debate to   
rest.  
  
"He's right. We don't want to miss our reservations,"   
said her father as he turned and gestured for them to   
follow him on the path away from the Festival.   
  
"I'm feeling hungry, anyway, so we had better hurry,"   
responded Hotaru as she let her eyes linger on Jadeites for   
a moment. She noticed the faint calm that had fallen over   
his own troubled gaze when she looked at him. No one else   
would have likely noticed the slight hardness to his eyes   
that had been present most of the day, but Hotaru had been   
very conscious of it. If he hadn't been enjoying himself,   
she would have felt very bad for having made him come out   
to the Festival. Then, though, the worry had faded away.   
Whatever it was had disappeared, and the timing left little   
doubt that it had been something about her that had put it   
to rest. She smiled as she turned to follow her father, and   
for some reason fought to hide a slight blush that was   
growing on her inexplicably. 


	2. Elegy for the Heavens Chapter 2

Elegy for the Heavens  
by Asura   
Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com  
  
The second chapter of my self-proclaimed epic (which  
only earns that title in my mind by the fact it's going to   
reach insane lengths), we'll be starting to further advance  
the plot here, though I hope the plot is at least somewhat  
evident even in the first chapter. Hotaru/Sailor Saturn is  
an interesting character to write dialogue for, I must say.   
The time setting makes it particularly interesting to try   
and advance her personality, yet keep it true to spirit. As  
before, of course, the characters and settings contained  
herein belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation, with  
American dubbing and distribution rights attributed to the   
disturbing DiC and Cloverway.  
  
Chapter 2: Suishou Toukyou: Yoroshiku - Jadeite's Dreams  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The traditional tools of forces of darkness had   
always been various incarnations of monsters. Called youma,   
those twisted creatures were unnatural unions of flesh and   
dark energies that exhibited unusual lusts for violence and   
destruction. In the early days of the Sailor Senshi's   
awakenings they had fought the youma of the Dark Kingdom.   
Even the Four Kings, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and   
Kunzite had lost much of their original bodies to the youma   
infections that Queen Beryl had put upon them following   
their being drawn to the Dark Kingdom. However, Jadeite,   
the only one of the four to survive through the entirety of   
the destruction of the Dark Kingdom, found that the youma   
portions of his body died with Queen Metallia.  
  
As the enemies of the Senshi came and went, their   
foot soldiers, though created and summoned through   
different means always fell into the category of youma.   
Even the Phage, mockeries of the human form created when   
they were deprived of their Star Seeds were youma. In the   
end, these monsters almost always found themselves totally   
outclassed by the Sailor Senshi, whose powers continued to   
increase and become more formidable with time. Only the   
ones who controlled the youma became true threats, and   
their power faded into obscurity. As with all things,   
though, the cycle once more came into play. Youma were   
scarce in the solar system, and the few that dared to show   
their heads typically met their ends at the hands of the   
Inner Senshi.   
  
The tide was set to change in the solar system on one   
day, and nothing could ever be the same afterwards. It was   
a stroke of luck for Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars that   
Hotaru, Sailor Saturn, had been on Earth, even if the   
reasons for her appearance were utterly unknown to them.   
With the powers granted them by their position as Sailor   
Senshi, they were able to communicate and rapidly converge   
on the first strong youma to appear in countless years.   
  
Amidst a jungle of shattered glass, torn clothing,   
and fractured jewelry that lay strewn about the street   
absent of their former luster, and along with the bodies of   
bystanders who had been there for the afternoon shopping   
hours, lying beneath the pounding rain from dark gray   
clouds that blanketed the sky above, stood the youma.   
Distinctive in appearance, possessed of a shapely female   
form and pale blue skin that reflected the fading street   
lamps' light along its surface like water, the monster was   
clad in a black half-dress and top, and appeared to be   
unarmed.   
  
Exuding waves of force from its hands, the youma   
continued to batter and wreck store fronts, tearing away   
chunks of concrete from buildings and leaving rubble strewn  
about to mix with the gathering debris, its ability to   
destroy seeming inexorable. Paired with the crashing   
thunder of the storm above, which threw lances of lightning   
amongst its cloudy boughs like javelins of the gods, the   
din was deafening, almost precluding the use of the voice.   
  
It was upon that scene that Sailor Mars and Sailor   
Mercury arrived, to stand as though stricken by the sight.   
It was not easily reparable damage that was being done to   
the city. It would take time, effort, and people's sweat to   
repair it, wasn't something that they had ever truly   
encountered in the past. Yet, being the strong spirits they   
were, they did not let it stop them in their attempt to   
battle the youma.  
  
"Mars Flame Sniper!" shouted Sailor Mars, bringing   
her hands up into the position of archery, a bow of   
crackling red flame bursting into existence in her grip. A   
companion arrow of flame lanced out from her other hand to   
rest against the bow, and she let fly at the youma as it   
stood in the street. The entire bow condensed and trailed   
along with the arrow in a great spiraling conflagration   
that roared down the street. Had one taken time to look at   
and observe the attack, the dancing flames might have been   
almost hypnotically beautiful.  
  
Unfortunately, the attack's brilliant visual aura   
made it easily visible, and the youma threw up a hand to   
deflect it, sending the flame into the side of a building,   
where it exploded several floors up, violently throwing   
chunks of concrete and debris to the ground below, forcing   
Mercury and Mars to throw up their arms to shield   
themselves. Once the dust cleared, a feat hurried by the   
rain which weighed it down in the air, they looked up to   
try and spot the youma again.   
  
"What? It's gone!" uttered Mars in a hushed whisper.   
She had a strong, compassionate voice of the sort that   
suited a leader, but it was laced with a tinge of   
apprehension at seeing her attack casually thrown away.   
  
"Let me see if my computer can find it," stated   
Mercury as she moved from the center of the street to take   
shelter at the side of one of the buildings. As Mars   
followed after her, she lifted her hand to the side of her   
head, a blue visor materializing over her eyes while a hand   
held display and keypad formed in her free hand. Golden   
lettering and data displays lit up on her visor, giving it   
a soft glow in the pouring rain.   
  
"Any sign of it, Mercury?" asked Mars as she stood   
there, huddling slightly in her sailor fuku, which had been   
soaked thoroughly by the rain. Her sailor fuku, like that   
of all the normal Sailor Senshi, was a white suit with   
highlights in the color associated with her planetary home   
of old. In her case, the skirt and neck were a strong, bold   
red, as was the bow at the back of her skirt. Elaborate   
shoulder pads with transparent gossamer protrusions were   
among the details, along with her high-heeled red shoes and   
her white gloves.  
  
"I can't get a clear reading on it. Wait... There!"   
Mercury's voice normally had an intellectual, calm tone,   
but it held an air of tenseness to it as the situation wore   
on her. Already it was not a typical battle. "I keep   
getting momentary traces of her energy, but it fades in and   
out amongst the buildings. We're going to have to try and   
corner her or surprise her in the alleys somehow."  
  
"All right, then. Let's get going, and stick close   
together so it can't catch us separately. Then at least   
we'll still outnumber her. Where do we start?" Mars was   
certainly ready to go, even though she knew the danger   
well. Never in the past had she backed down in a fight,   
even one with a clear chance of defeat.   
  
"Over there, where the flower shop used to be..."   
Then, before she could finish the first thought, she   
exclaimed "Look out, Rei!" A gleam of red appeared on her   
visor, and it was that which provided warning enough for   
her and Sailor Mars to dive to the sides as a rippling wave   
of force slammed into the building where they had just   
been, crushing the concrete inwards so that pebbles and   
larger chunks of debris mixed with dust rained down after a   
moment. Unfortunately, the youma was not limited to   
attacking in single bursts. A second blast rippled through   
the air towards Sailor Mercury as she coughed, trying to   
rid her lungs of dust. She looked up just as the blast   
approached, her eyes going wide at the sight of what would   
certainly be a painful strike. However, it didn't land.  
  
"Silence Wall!" came the voice of Sailor Saturn, her   
purple highlighted sailor fuku still swaying from what must   
have been a mad rush to make it to Mercury in time to   
protect her. All that filled the fortunate Sailor of   
Water's eyes were the purple laced boots of Sailor Saturn   
as she stood before her, the some six-foot-long Silence   
Glaive held before her, its hooked end leaving a soft   
silver gleam in its wake as she spun it to form the   
powerful barrier that had redirected the attack. She was   
still holding up that barrier, in fact, as the redirected   
energy of the youma's attack spilled more shattered   
concrete and steel from the building's side above.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The blond King, or former King, found his feet   
pounding along the wet, slick sidewalks of downtown Crystal   
Tokyo as he ran. Guided by the distant sounds of   
destruction, or the last signs of them he'd heard, he   
sought out the conflict with a determination that almost   
hurt to feel. The youma that the Sailor Senshi fought...   
that Sailor Saturn fought, was powerful. He didn't know how   
he could tell, but he somehow had felt it within him when   
Hotaru told him that she was needed to help the other   
Senshi at least a half an hour ago. It had been a restful   
day up following the trip to the Shrine, too, but that had   
fallen to the siren's call of battle.  
  
He couldn't argue with the logic of her telling him   
to stay behind. He felt no longer those incantations and   
arcane secrets he had once possessed in the Silver   
Millennium, nor did he any longer have the strengths of a   
youma to rely upon in battle. He was a man at that point,   
with all the strengths and weaknesses of a commoner. Yet,   
he couldn't stay behind. He had to go, just in case   
something happened. He owed the Sailor Senshi, in a strange   
way, and more importantly, he owed Hotaru for releasing him   
from his crystalline Hell.  
  
He lurched to a halt as he came to another   
intersection, leaning forward with his hands on his knees   
as he sought to catch his breath. He had forgotten what   
it'd been like to be a normal man, in large part, after   
being one of Queen Beryl's servants for so long. Exhaustion   
from his long run gripped at him, but he couldn't let   
himself fall. After a moment, he pulled himself up and   
looked from side to side, trying to listen for any more   
sounds. The pounding rain greeted him for several long   
moments and he heard nothing more, until finally...  
  
"There!" An echoing boom not far away tore into the   
rain, its sound reverberating off the sides of the   
buildings in a strange rippling cacophony. Turning, his   
sneaker clad feet once more pounded at the sidewalks and   
then at the pavement, as he ran down the deserted streets   
of Tokyo. He had to make it before something horrible   
happened. There was no question, for if he failed to make   
it, he would have no reason for being brought back into the   
world.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Iyaaa!" The scream of Sailor Mars accompanied the   
resonating boom of another force blast as it smashed her   
against the side of a building, the wall cracking under the   
force of her impact and practically disintegrating.   
Fortunately for her, it was not solid concrete that she   
struck, though it was not much better to strike glass as   
she had, as a briefly glittering rainbow of shards exploded   
around her before she found herself lying amongst the   
scattered remnants of broken tables and chairs.  
  
The youma had hit her hard, and she could feel it in   
her ribs. At least a few had to have been broken, but she   
was still alive and conscious, despite the burning pain in   
her back, arms, and legs from the harsh bite of broken   
glass. Still, she knew she had to move, since the youma   
couldn't be just leaving her to lie after it had scored a   
solid hit. It would come to finish her. She willed her   
limbs to bring her to her feet. She found that she was   
unable to even move a few inches. It must have been worse   
than she had first believed. The force of the shock had   
stunned her body, and she was lying helpless.  
  
She could hear the youma walking, stepping soundly   
along the ground and on the broken shards of glass which   
crunched underfoot. She couldn't make out its form in the   
dark of the battered restaurant, though, even when she   
finally managed to lift her head enough to look down her   
body and forward. Then, she could see the silhouette of the   
youma, walking in time to its footsteps. Death seemed   
certain at that moment.  
  
It was Mercury's intervention that saved Mars. A cry   
of "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" sung out into the quiet shell   
of the restaurant as near the blasted window Mars spotted   
the battered form of Sailor Mercury. Even hurt, the most   
intellectual of the Sailor Senshi held her own beauty, her   
blue highlighted sailor fuku rippling in the rising wind   
about her as a harp of glittering, pure blue water formed   
in her hands to be played. Long tendrils of water lashed   
out from the musical instrument towards the youma, the   
monster's hand thrown up suddenly to protect its face in   
the wake of the onslaught.  
  
While it saved Mars' life, it nearly cost Mercury her   
own. A responding blast of force tore through her attack   
after meeting some resistance, flinging her back out of the   
building, her form bouncing along the street and skidding   
to a rest at the base of another building. However, that   
was also covering the attempt from Sailor Saturn to strike   
the youma, as her Silence Glaive, catching what little   
light there was along its wickedly hooked blade for a   
moment, arced down towards the monster's head from the   
shadows.   
  
Like Mercury's earlier attack, the brave move met   
with brief, limited success as the blade dug a deep cut   
into the youma's forehead. That elicited the first words   
from its mouth; a sharp scream of "Damn you!" as its hand   
caught the haft of the weapon before it could cleave her   
head in two. The response to the pain was swift and brutal.   
The youma pushed away the Silence Glaive before lifting up   
its other hand, which it balled into a fist and then   
slammed into Sailor Saturn's chest, sending her back into   
the shadows and partially through the drywall of the   
building.   
  
Dazed, Saturn looked up from the debris amongst which   
she lay, watching as the angered youma stalked towards her   
with the glimmer of death in its eyes. As her companions   
had both felt at different points in the battle, she felt   
it dawn upon her that it was quite probably the end of her   
life. Her suspicions seemed to be confirmed as the youma   
stood above her, towering like some dark elemental of evil,   
its hand outstretched towards her. Then, she heard   
something. The sound of running feet. She could see the   
youma turning its head just as a shadow interposed itself   
between them, forcing the youma to take several steps back.  
  
She couldn't see clearly enough to identify the   
figure standing over her, which wore a long sleeved blue   
shirt and a pair of jeans with white sneakers. She was   
unable to see the steel gray eyes focused on the youma from   
behind a veil of soaked, hanging hair that was ragged from   
running for longer than should have been possible. Nor   
could she predict that it was Jadeite, the same blond King   
she had freed from imprisonment.  
  
His shoulders heaved with the effort of catching his   
breath as he stood in front of the youma, hands clenched   
into loose fists at his sides. He knew they needed help,   
but being there without real forethought, he didn't know   
what to do. He had no powers beyond those of his own two   
hands, and so could call upon nothing that he believed   
could even hurt the youma. However, he couldn't let it stop   
him from trying. He lifted his head up, his eyes gleamed   
for a moment as he raised his hand, and dove forward, his   
fist launching towards the youma's face.  
  
It had to be the grace of fate that let the blow land   
on the youma, or so he thought first when he felt his hand   
smash into the hard form of the monster's face. It wasn't   
until he heard the soft, feminine growl of the youma that   
it set in that his attack had accomplished nothing, just as   
he'd feared. Already weakened from his long run and with   
his hand hurting from striking the unnaturally hard body of   
the youma, he stumbled back a step and fell to his knees.  
  
"I'm surprised that you actually hit me, mysterious   
stranger." said the youma calmly with a hint of sarcasm,   
taking a moment to pull its hair back into order, the locks   
having long since been matted against its face in the rain.   
"As is the rule of all things, though, you're going to have   
to suffer for that, just like the girl behind you. Actually   
hurting me... How crude."   
  
"You seem not to be too considerate of the damage you   
cause to everything else. It seems a bit one sided,"   
Jadeite spoke heavily, but also with his normal sly noble   
tone. "You can go ahead and hurt me, but you aren't going   
to get through to the girl." He owed Hotaru. He'd think of   
something before he died which could spare her, as well as   
the other girls. He didn't want them to die either, yet it   
oddly enough seemed almost a secondary concern in his mind,   
which focused on the girl with dark hair lying behind him.  
  
"You're all only human. I don't play by the same   
rules." The youma's arrogant words were barely recognized   
by the blond King as it raised its hand, fingers pointed   
towards him. Brilliant, coursing green lightning leapt   
forth from the fingertips, immediately burning their way   
across both Jadeite and Sailor Saturn, quickly causing   
smoke to rise.  
  
Yet, Jadeite did not fall, keeping on his knees   
without swaying even a little. He couldn't let it end like   
that. To be killed after being freed and to let the one who   
had given him that gift die as well was not acceptable, and   
in some distant corner of his mind a door opened. A portion   
of his spirit long locked away flared to life, if only for   
a moment, to provide him with the graces of magic he'd once   
called on to protect the Earth. He did not notice that it   
coincided with a soft hand wrapping around his ankle   
loosely, and even if he had, he would not have likely made   
the connection at that moment.  
  
Saturn watched as the one she then knew was Jadeite   
slowly rose up from his knees before her amongst the   
blazing lightning, his hand raised to make it flow around   
them instead of striking them. It was his voice that had   
made her recognize him, which she imagined was likely due   
to his naturally commanding tone. She found also that it   
hurt, though, to hear him as well. There had been   
desperation in his tone, the sudden, unexpected emotion   
bordering almost on despair.  
  
Once, in the past, Saturn had unconsciously increased   
the powers of all three of the Outer Senshi, her spirit's   
connection with them granting them great gains in strength.   
As it had been then, she was still able to grant power to   
another, though she had more a conscious idea of what she   
was doing and it was only able to work to temporarily   
restore the powers of her intended target. She could feel   
it as her hand had grasped just above his foot. Warmth had   
spread from him into her own wet arm, and in turn she felt   
his body's temperature increase for that moment. Then, the   
world went black for her. It was a strain to grant him even   
a little power, for it forced her to use her own to unlock   
his, and she had little left.  
  
As the lightning peeled away, flowing around Jadeite   
and Saturn, he felt the right formulae come to his mind. He   
would have to lower his shield, but it didn't matter. It   
would work. It had to work. He lowered his hand and winced   
as the lightning dove in upon him once more, though it then   
seemed to focus upon him and not upon Saturn. The youma   
must have been trying to break his shield down, and it   
showed in the amount of pain he suddenly felt. However, his   
concentration held true. Thunder rumbled loudly as a bolt   
struck a nearby building, and then it happened.  
  
Outside the building, a bolt of lightning slammed   
into the concrete, instantly evaporating the puddles nearby   
with a deafening explosion of thunder. The pure energy   
twisted and exploded through the room in a great bolt   
directly at the youma, which suddenly found itself alive   
with blazing, crackling energy that flung it with   
tremendous force to the wall even as it burned the insides   
of its monstrous body. The youma was sliding down the   
shattered tile wall that formed the back of the restaurant   
even as the foundations still quivered from the deafening   
shock.  
  
Jadeite's eyes opened, the light almost blinding him   
despite the fact he had closed them, knowing what would   
happen. He could feel the static in the air, trying to pull   
at his soaked hair and make it frizzle out, and the   
residual heat lingered. Falling forward to his hands and   
knees, he saw that Mars was still breathing. He couldn't be   
sure of Mercury, but he suspected that she was going to be   
all right, which left him to look to Saturn.  
  
She was completely unconscious, that much was   
obvious. With a weak hand, he managed to check her neck for   
the pulse of her life's blood, managing a faint smile when   
he realized she was alive. Then, he fell forward himself,   
passing out from the sheer exhaustion that had overwhelmed   
him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Pain is a strange thing. No one wants to be in pain,   
usually, and yet sometimes they find themselves thankful   
for it. For Jadeite, it was one such time. The soreness   
that penetrated every fiber of his body heralded the fact   
that he was still alive, and not, as he had feared, dead   
from the youma's attacks. When he tried to move, his   
accepting attitude towards the pain shifted slightly,   
though, as the commands he sent to his muscles made them   
exploded in fire.   
  
Letting himself simply lay there, he concentrated on   
breathing and trying to open his eyes. He had only vague   
recollections of what had happened to put him there, and   
the only thoughts that really stood out were the final   
images of the youma being carried away by lightning and the   
fact that Saturn was still alive. The thought of the girl   
forced him into action, bringing him up to his knees with   
agonizing slowness. He did his best to ignore the pain that   
shot through his body with even the subtle motions of   
trying to rise, and it finally paid off as he was able to   
open his eyes and get up.   
  
The first thing that greeted his vision was white. He   
blinked slowly, then shifted back a bit, trying to refocus   
his vision to find that he had been staring directly at   
Sailor Saturn's stomach when he had risen up, and very   
nearly her chest. He shook his head slightly to clear his   
mind, and while it succeeded, he immediately regretted it   
thanks to the pain it caused.   
  
"Jadeite. You're awake." The purple and white clad   
Senshi spoke quietly to him once she noticed he had moved.   
"I'm glad." Her purple eyes were half closed, and she   
seemed to be in horrible shape, though she didn't seem to   
have any truly major injuries. Black smudges and tears   
covered her sailor fuku, and she sported several nasty   
gashes on her arms and sides from the wall. From the   
concern and relief in her eyes, though, he likely didn't   
look any better. In fact, he probably looked worse.  
  
"Don't..." Jadeite tried to speak, but ended up   
coughing several times instead. It took him a moment to   
bring his renegade lungs back under control, and when he   
felt they'd settled he tried again. "Don't worry about me,   
Hotaru. You need to get home. Your father can probably see   
to your injuries." The Professor should at least have been   
able to put antiseptic on her more obvious wounds and   
provide her first aid.   
  
"You're hurt badly, Jadeite. You need to be taken to   
the hospital," responded Saturn, concern in her tired   
voice. It was fortunate that he couldn't see himself, but   
that didn't spare her the pain of seeing that he had bad   
burns all down his arms and legs, and blood in no small   
amount around the sides of his face and in his hair. Not   
only had he been stricken by the lightning the youma had   
used, but he had also suffered from his own calling upon   
lightning, which had ripped portions of the structure   
apart, and had brought some of the roof raining down. He'd   
never even felt several of the tiles strike him, dazed as   
he'd been.  
  
"Just flesh wounds," he said, managing a faint grin.   
"I'll be fine." He knew better, really. Fortunately, the   
paramedics would probably arrive on the scene soon, along   
with the police. Then, it occurred to him. Why had no   
police showed up to try and intervene? Why had no   
paramedics raced to help the injured? He suddenly found   
himself very troubled by that revelation. However, the soft   
sound of rustling prohibited him from calling it to   
Saturn's attention.  
  
"The others!" Saturn whispered suddenly, turning   
slowly to look at the shifting form of Sailor Mars. She'd   
be able to get up soon, and if she saw Jadeite, there would   
be no end to the trouble or questions. She'd have no idea   
what to expect from him, and it'd likely lead to conflict.   
Turning to look out the vacant space that had once been the   
front of the restaurant, she could also see the stirring   
form of Sailor Mercury across the street. "You've got to   
get away before they see you," she stated quietly, looking   
back to Jadeite as the distant sound of police sirens began   
to rise.   
  
"You'll all have to get away before the police and   
medics arrive... Help me up. Then, you can lay me face down   
on the sidewalk. They won't notice me if they can't see me,   
particularly with these clothes." He was breathing heavily   
again by the time he finished speaking. Still, he had to   
get some sort of plan in action before he was discovered.   
He knew well the consequences of suddenly meeting two   
people he had, in the past, tried to kill.  
  
"Once they're gone, I'll help you back to Father's   
place," agreed Saturn as she slipped forward to put an arm   
around his back. Slowly they both made it up to their feet,   
a feat which caused both of them no small amount of pain.   
Then, just barely fast enough, they got outside, where   
gently she laid him down on the wet sidewalk. Fortunately,   
it was no longer raining, though the dark clouds still   
flowed above ominously. "Hang on, Jadeite," she said   
quietly, just before she moved away from him and crossed   
the street to check on the rising form of Sailor Mercury.   
  
"Hotaru-chan..." Mercury's words greeted Sailor   
Saturn as she finally reached her. "Are you all right?   
Where's Rei?" Intellectual, but ever concerned for the well   
being of her friends, Sailor Mercury worried first about   
the others, then about herself. Physically, she had fared   
better than anyone else, though it wasn't an outstanding   
accomplishment. Blood still slowly seeped from several deep   
cuts along her shoulder, and from the way she held her   
side, she likely had a horrible bruise beneath her white   
and blue fuku. Unfortunately, all that was piled atop the   
numerous minor scrapes and cuts she'd also received.  
  
"Rei's still inside the restaurant across the street.   
If you can go help her, get her to the hospital, she's hurt   
badly. I'll try and get to the Moon to tell the Neo-Queen   
what has happened." Saturn silently congratulated herself   
on improving the plan to get Jadeite away unnoticed and   
also on managing to fulfill her duties to the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom as well. It would give Jadeite a chance to meet   
with King Endymion, something she knew he wished to do.   
  
"Good idea. I'll see to her." Mercury gave a soft   
nod, then began to walk across the street to tend to Mars.   
Saturn watched her carefully, and released some pent up   
breath when she walked by Jadeite without noticing him.   
Quickly, or as quickly as she could, Saturn went over to   
him and helped him up.   
  
"Come on, Jadeite. We've got to get out of here."   
Acknowledged by a soft nod from the prone King, she helped   
him once more to his feet. As swiftly as they could manage,   
they turned down a nearby alley and began the long, slow,   
and hard trek back to her father's house so they could   
collapse and try to recover.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hotaru's father was a man of science, having spent   
many years in laboratories and universities. Not only did   
he possess knowledge of physics and scientific theory, he   
also had experienced some medical training in his life. It   
was a very good thing that he possessed medical experience,   
as when Hotaru and Jadeite had finally stumbled their way   
back to the home almost a week ago they had been barely   
coherent. The list of injuries had been rather impressive   
in all actuality, consisting of burns, both conventional   
and electrical, lacerations, bruises, and even some   
fractured bones.   
  
It had only required a little medical treatment from   
the Professor in a chronological sense. Once he had managed   
to get his daughter and Jadeite bandaged and put to rest in   
beds, he knew it wouldn't take long for Hotaru to recover   
enough to heal Jadeite. She had grown resilient in the last   
few years, though she was still not a very physical person,   
and her father's medical treatment, while not at the level   
of a hospital, to be sure, was expert, allowing her to   
recover almost completely over the course of a week.   
Jadeite recovered as quickly, but she insisted on seeing to   
him to make sure he was fully able before she finally let   
him up from bed and allowed him to move around freely   
again.   
  
It had come to be Monday morning, and Jadeite and   
Hotaru had eaten their breakfasts not long ago. Normally,   
she would have been in school, but her father had informed   
them that she would not be present for another week, since   
she was still recovering from being hurt the previous week.   
He had actually told them that she was suffering a light   
case of pneumonia, but she hadn't paid close attention to   
that particular detail.   
  
"You have to go to the Moon to speak with the Queen   
soon, right?" asked Jadeite as he put away the last of the   
dishes from breakfast. He knew that she needed to go, and   
it was more a rhetorical question than a genuine inquiry.   
  
"Yes, I do need to go. You want to come with me,   
right?" Hotaru was sitting at the table, having washed the   
dishes so that Jadeite could put them away. They both had   
reasons to go, but they had put it off for a reason that   
they couldn't identify. They could have gone before that   
day, even while they were still recovering, but they had   
not even mentioned it. Events had changed things, though,   
and they could feel a strong urgency approaching.   
  
"I still need to see King Endymion. I have much for   
which to apologize, and I must find out if I can help in   
what's coming." It was obvious to him and to Hotaru, as   
well, that there had been a shift in the peaceful paradigm   
in which they had been living before. Not simply as the two   
of them, either, but the entire Shin-Muun Kingdom had been   
experiencing a time of unparalleled peace. "If he is   
willing to allow it, then I can reclaim my old title. It   
will be hard to convince him, though."  
  
"I'll do my best to get him to believe you. He might   
not think that you're trustworthy, but I know that you are.   
I believed it before, but there's no doubt in my mind,   
now." Hotaru spoke with a surprising passion. She had   
wanted to believe she'd been right in reviving him and was   
beginning to think she had been, which meant that he was   
not the source of the image she had seen in the Scrying   
Pool in the Crystal Watcher's Spire.   
  
"Your faith in me is something I almost find hard to   
accept," responded Jadeite. "I find it very pleasing,   
though. Thank you, Hotaru." He knew well that she did not   
mind his company, but actually trusting him was something   
that seemed almost out of place, after what he had done   
with the trust placed in him long ago. It was a second   
chance for him, though, and he was willing to accept it   
graciously. "We should go soon, then."  
  
"I'll make arrangements for us to take one of the   
shuttles up to the Moon tomorrow afternoon. That way we'll   
be able to rest once we get there and go to visit the King   
and Queen in the morning, well, assuming that the Queen is   
awake, anyway." Neo-Queen Serenity, despite having matured   
greatly and becoming the ruler of the Shin-Muun Kingdom,   
was still Usagi Tsukino, and she still possessed a tendency   
to sleep later than she intended to.   
  
"If I recall, her incarnation in this time was a bit   
lacking in the area of grace and eloquence," said Jadeite,   
allowing himself a small laugh. "I am sure that she has   
inherited her mother's positive traits, though. She is   
holding this Kingdom together well, from what I see." There   
was little conflict, and even crime was an uncommon thing   
in what was a nearly utopian society.  
  
"She learned a lot from the trials she had to face.   
All of us did. She also has a lot of support from her close   
friends, and especially from the King. Her daughter is also   
a good person, and she helps her a lot. She's one of my few   
friends, though she's also good at causing headaches."   
Hotaru giggled quietly at the thought of Chibi-Usa Tsukino.   
She always meant well, but she had inherited some of her   
mother's clumsiness, not to mention her attitude. It was   
like seeing Usagi as a student in Junior High again. Still,   
she found that she was strongly bonded to the youngest   
member of the ruling family.  
  
"I do not doubt that she grew considerably. It is   
good to know that she is doing as well as she is. At any   
rate, I should join your father in the laboratory. I'll let   
him know that we're planning to go tomorrow. We should only   
be gone until the end of the week, I imagine." Jadeite   
found himself smiling when she mentioned Chibi-Usa as her   
friend and recognized the strong friendship between the   
two. He did find it odd that he hadn't seen her at all in   
his time there, but he dismissed the consideration. She   
likely had things to do, just as Hotaru did.  
  
"That will fit in with the time I'm out of school, so   
it'll work out well. I'll call and have the arrangements   
set up for us to travel up there," said Hotaru, rising from   
the table and heading for the phone while Jadeite put the   
last dish away and began to head towards the laboratory.   
"Have a good day at work, Jadeite," she added, smiling and   
laughing quietly. After all, work was basically the basement.  
  
"And rest well and recover your strength, Hotaru,"   
replied the Blond King as he waved and headed down the   
hallway to the laboratory.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next day had approached rather rapidly,   
particularly when Jadeite and Hotaru realized that they   
needed to be packed for the trip since it was to leave at   
noon. Jadeite realized, with slightly mixed feelings of   
relief and vague disappointment, that he had very little to   
actually pack for the trip. Some basic items such as   
toothbrush, shaving equipment and toothpaste came to mind,   
and he packed those accordingly, along with his very small   
selection of clothing. He included his old uniform in his   
things as well, planning to wear it when he met the King   
the following day.  
  
With his things gathered, Jadeite descended the   
stairs to the foyer, where he found Hotaru waiting for him.   
She had two light bags opposed to his one, which didn't   
surprise him. She possessed considerably more clothing than   
he did, naturally, though her own collections paled in   
comparison to the selections of outfits many of ages   
comparable to hers owned. Taking her bags in an act of   
politeness, he stepped outside while she finished saying   
goodbye to her father. Soon, she had joined him on the   
porch and they began the walk to the street. Once there,   
they headed off towards the center of town.   
  
Tokyo Tower had at one time been a simple tourist   
attraction and broadcasting antenna for the city, but, with   
the passage of time and with the advent of new technologies   
it had become the port for the shuttles that traveled   
between Earth and the Moon, as well as the colonies on Mars   
and Venus. As they came closer to the structure they could   
see the occasional sleek, delta-winged craft launch upwards   
with amazing speed to break free of the Earth's hold and   
head towards its destination.   
  
Thus far, things had gone very well for the two on   
their trek towards the station, and finally they reached   
the base of the tower. Hotaru spoke with an attendant for a   
few moments and they were then led into the concourse. The   
station itself occupied an area around the base of the   
Tokyo Tower much larger than it had once been, since there   
was space needed for the various functions of the   
spaceport. For the two, things continued to go smoothly,   
but fate intervened.   
  
Rei Hino still watched over the shrine and visited   
her grandfather's grave there from time to time. Since he   
had grown old, her boyfriend, Kumada Yuuchirou, had taken   
to running the shrine. In addition to that duty, he served   
as a member of the guards of Crystal Tokyo, a group who   
served both as police and defenders against any outside   
threats to the city. Despite the condition of peace, they   
were trained relatively well, and in fact they were   
provided with large amounts of time off to pursue other   
activities in addition to their duties.   
  
That particular day happened to be one on which Rei   
was preparing to leave after visiting Yuuchirou and the   
shrine. Rei did not catch sight of Jadeite from across the   
concourse as she entered, though it was not severely   
crowded. Her attention was more focused on thoughts of   
Yuuchirou and her trip than observing the people of the   
spaceport. Most of her bags were already checked and on   
board the shuttle, but she kept a bag slung over her   
shoulder with her personal belongings in it.   
  
Since Rei had a short time to wait before her shuttle left,   
she decided to get a drink from one of the small stores   
within the concourse. It was as she was walking over   
towards it that she caught sight of Jadeite. Turning a last   
glance over the area before he left, Jadeite was   
reminiscing on the sudden changes of his life on Earth and   
the fact that he was leaving for the Moon for the first   
time in countless ages. Then, he turned, his brow furrowing   
slightly as he considered the significance of the moment   
while he boarded the shuttle.  
  
"Jadeite?" she intoned questioningly to herself, not   
believing at first what she had seen. However, it was   
confirmed beyond a doubt when he reemerged from the shuttle   
to grab one of Hotaru's bags that he'd carelessly left   
behind. Had she seen Hotaru, she might not have suspected   
quite the scenario she did, but as it was, she saw only   
him. Jadeite, one of the Four Kings of the Dark Kingdom,   
was boarding a shuttle headed for the Moon.   
  
Rei ran across the concourse, reaching the doors just   
as they closed and the shuttle began to lift up onto the   
launching rails. Should she get them to abort the launch   
and hold the shuttle? She shook her head at the thought,   
dismissing it due to the fact it would probably cause a   
panic. No, she needed another way to make sure things were   
safe. She had no doubt that Jadeite was up to something   
bad. It was his nature, as far as she knew.  
  
The solution presented itself in her mind as the   
shuttle shot up from the side of the Tokyo Tower, caroming   
off into space at tremendous speeds. She ran back and   
picked up her bags, then headed out of the main concourse.   
She had to slow herself down more than once to contend with   
lingering pain in her ribs from the battle last week. She'd   
healed well, though, and figured she'd be fine in another   
week.   
  
Once outside, she took the small wristwatch   
communicator that was common among the Inner Senshi and   
flipped it open, pressing a short sequence of keys. After a   
few moments of waiting, the face of Minako Aino, of Sailor   
Venus, appeared.   
  
"Hey, Rei, what's going on? I'm kind of busy right   
now," came the voice of the other Sailor Senshi through the   
watch. Minako had a very melodic, pretty voice that she had   
used to create a career as a singer. How she hadn't become   
popular across the world yet was something Rei couldn't   
answer, but at least she was popular on the Moon and in   
Crystal Tokyo.  
  
"We've got trouble! Do you remember the guys from the   
Dark Kingdom? I just saw one of them boarding a shuttle to   
the Moon!" Rei was definitely more anxious than normal, and   
her temper was going to cause problems for the well meaning   
travelers Hotaru and Jadeite. Her intentions were pure,   
though. "It was Jadeite, the first one we met! Blond hair,   
and gray eyes. You've got to make sure he doesn't reach the   
Palace and hurt anyone."   
  
"Whoa, wait, I thought they were all gone. Where   
could he have come from?" responded Minako, her voice much   
quieter. She must have been near people. Then, it became   
normal again. Either they had left, or she had taken some   
sort of cover so she could talk normally. "I mean, it's   
been such a long time since we saw them. I thought we beat   
them all."   
  
"I don't know how he's here, but it was definitely   
him. I'd never mistake his face for anyone else's, and I   
wouldn't mistake anyone else's for his. Besides, my   
instinct tells me it's him." Rei's instinct, bordering   
almost on ESP, was not to be disputed in most situations,   
and, in that one, it was very accurate. She not only   
recognized it as having been Jadeite, but she could just   
tell somehow that it was Jadeite.   
  
"All right. How soon do you think he'll be here? I   
can't get out of here without it being suspicious for   
another half an hour," responded Minako. She sounded   
anxious to, but she also seemed to be cautious of her cover   
and current duty as well. She kept her identity a secret so   
that her identity as Sailor Venus couldn't be an excuse for   
her succeeding in becoming an idol.  
  
"They just left a minute ago. You should have an hour   
to meet them."  
  
"Shoot, that's not enough time to let the King and   
Queen know, too. I wish she had kept her watch."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll let them know as soon as I can.   
I'm going to grab a shuttle up there as soon as possible.   
Just try to stop him from doing anything horrible.   
Remember, he was one of Queen Beryl's men, and he betrayed   
us all once before."  
  
"I know, Rei. I'll stop him."  
  
"Be careful. Try and get him by surprise if you can."   
Rei sighed quietly and then prepared to flip off the   
communicator. "I'll see you soon."  
  
"Right. No worries, I'll get the job done." Minako   
disappeared amidst static, and Rei closed the watch. How   
could Jadeite have suddenly come back after so many years?   
He'd been gone for ages. Then again, as she considered, she   
realized that they never really had seen what had happened   
to him. He'd simply stopped showing up, replaced by his   
successor, King Nephrite. It was easily possible that he'd   
simply been replaced. It didn't make sense, though, since   
she knew that the Dark Kingdom had a bad habit of removing   
from its ranks those who failed. The matter was much more   
confusing than seemed logical.  
  
"Maybe I can get Ami here, too," said Rei to herself.   
Ami would certainly have the level head to assess the   
situation and, if Jadeite and Hotaru were lucky, it just   
might keep Rei from getting things any more complicated or   
dangerous. Rei gave a slight nod to herself, and decided to   
follow through with her idea. Ami would also be able to   
come up with a plan for what to do if Jadeite was planning   
a rampage of destruction as she suspected. Regardless of   
how he'd come back, he was still a villain in her mind.   
What else could he be, after all? 


	3. Elegy for the Heavens Chapter 3

Elegy for the Heavens  
by Asura   
Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com  
  
The third chapter of this fanfic, we finally make it   
to the moon in this chapter. Plenty of things going on now,   
but it's only the beginning. I had originally planned for   
only 13 chapters for this, but after considering the   
lengths of what I've already done and what's planned for   
the story, I've had to expand that to 26 chapters. This   
generally means that I have no life, and will continue to   
have my soul sucked away by this work. Still, if people   
read it and like it, all is well. I'm particularly pleased   
that my girlfriend is getting as much enjoyment out of it   
as she is. I'd also like to thank my editor for his help,   
though he shall remain anonymous for now. And, on a final   
note before we get started, the characters herein belong to   
Naoko Takeuchi, a wonderful Japanese TV production company,   
and, despite repeated attempts by several MS Teams equipped   
with Gelgoogs, DiC and Cloverway own the American   
distribution rights.  
  
  
Chapter 3: E Arashi: Koushin no Hono'o – Jadeite's Rebirth  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In space there was no sound, contrary to what popular   
videos and the like would have had one believe. It was an   
eerily quiet tapestry of stars and planets against a black   
backdrop, with shadowed asteroids and blazing comets   
cutting across it like the paintbrushes of some great   
artist. Immeasurable beauty that was without a doubt lethal   
to those who dared venture into it without protection,   
space was much like a rose: beautiful, but demanding of   
respect and caution from its admirers.   
  
In the course of his life, Jadeite had been in space   
several times, though, like of his many experiences, that   
had been back in the time of the Silver Millennium.   
Escorting Prince Endymion had been an important duty, and   
his frequent trips to the Moon had necessitated that the   
Four Guardians travel with him. Looking back, it probably   
hadn't been necessary. The real threat had always been on   
the Earth in the form of Queen Beryl. He was thankful for   
those times, though, as it freed him of any anxiety due to   
traveling in space.  
  
Soon, the Moon came into view, and though they could   
not see the city that surrounded the Moon Palace from the   
shuttle the surface of the orbiting planetoid was   
occasionally marked by grass and lakes. In the time since   
their trials against the various enemies of Earth the   
Senshi had helped efforts to reach out and terraform   
several nearby worlds including the Moon, since it was to   
be the site from which the King and Queen would rule. Mars   
and Venus were the first worlds to once again receive human   
life in the system as well, with projects on Mercury in the   
initial stages.   
  
"Once we land, I'm going to go and arrange for the   
meeting with King Endymion tomorrow morning. The Knight's   
Rest Inn is about halfway into the city, and is probably   
the best place to stay, so, if you go ahead and get a room   
there I'll meet you after the arrangements have been   
made." The two had been silent most of the way to the Moon,   
but finally Hotaru Tomoe had spoken, bringing the necessary   
plans to light. Appointments were required to meet with the   
King and Queen, but it was another meeting of importance   
that had to be managed more carefully.   
  
"From what I've seen in looking at this map, it's   
located down the main road a few miles. I should have no   
problem finding it. After I've gotten a room I'll wait for   
you to let me know what the times will be." As much as he   
did not want to, Jadeite found himself a bit nervous at the   
approaching meeting with King Endymion. Could he even be   
forgiven for the things that he had done? They were among   
the most evil acts a man could commit, after all, and he   
certainly had not shown any mercy to Endymion when they met   
at the beginning of the Senshi's reawakening.   
  
"Just so you know, we're going to have to meet with   
Sailor Pluto before we see the King and Queen. There are   
some important things you need to be told, and she has a   
better grasp of them than I do." Another of the most rare   
of Sailor Senshi, it somewhat surprised Jadeite that he'd   
be taken to meet with Pluto. Particularly surprising, in   
fact, was that it would take place before he even met with   
the King and Queen, since they were always the unquestioned   
rulers of the Shin-Muun Kingdom.  
  
"Sailor Pluto. I met her only once before in my life,   
and I remember it with perfect clarity even to this day."   
Jadeite fought the urge to shudder just slightly as he   
thought of the ninth Sailor Senshi, the Guardian of Time.   
Her presence was a unique feeling in itself, but it was her   
gaze that he found lingering in his mind. "If that is how   
it needs to be, however, I will not question it." It was   
his second chance, and he would not jeopardize it under any   
circumstances, after coming as far as he already had.  
  
"I didn't know that you'd met her before. You'll have   
to tell me about it tonight once we've got taken care of   
everything." Hotaru didn't seem to notice the slight   
discomfort Jadeite felt at the prospect of meeting Pluto   
again. Despite her knowledge of the power wielded by Pluto,   
Hotaru's relationship with her had been more familial than   
anything else, which had taken the edge off of her   
commanding presence. She had considered asking him, but she   
noticed a small indicator above go off to warn the   
passengers of the nearing end of the journey. "Buckle   
yourself in. We're preparing to land."  
  
Secured firmly in their seats, Jadeite and Hotaru sat   
tight as the ship shuddered slightly upon entering the   
atmosphere of the Moon before it began to level off and   
prepare for landing at the long runway that lay in front of   
the Moon Palace. "Moon Palace" was a term with two   
functions. When simply spoken as "the Moon Palace," it   
referred to the royal structure that housed the King,   
Queen, and their daughter as well as many of the   
dignitaries of Earth when they visited, including the   
Sailor Senshi. When referred to in the vein of "Moon Palace   
City," the term meant the capital of the Shin-Muun Kingdom,   
a large metropolitan area that was second only to Crystal   
Tokyo in size. As the ship was oriented for the final   
approach, the window finally allowed a view of the city.  
  
Crystal Tokyo was a city built in a stunning hybrid   
of crystal, steel, and concrete that made it a mixture of   
both old and futuristic styles. Moon Palace City was the   
evolution of cities taken to the next step. Magnificent,   
glittering crystal spires rose from the surface of the   
Moon, many with multicolored banners waving at their   
apexes. Some of the buildings were dark crystal, seemingly   
built to provide artistic contrast to the more brilliant   
structures that refracted the light in a variety of   
prismatic ways, which sprayed a spectrum of colors across   
the cityscape. The effect became more dramatic when it   
became apparent that even that light struck more buildings   
and continuously shifted, creating in the end a city of   
quartz, topaz, and diamond bound together by rainbows.   
Among the crystal and light, there were numerous areas of   
paved, silvery roads bordered by sidewalks that were, of   
all things, simple grass. Trees ascended along every road,   
casting their color into the heart of the city and seeming   
to almost glow themselves, as though the growth was the   
lifeblood of the city.  
  
Jadeite could hear a few gasps and intonations of   
excitement and wonder as the other passengers on the   
shuttle observed the city from their windows. The people   
who were visiting for the first time were the most obvious,   
echoing sometimes shouts of excitement or simple hushed   
admiration. Jadeite found himself at least equally moved by   
the sight, though he made no sound at all. It was   
magnificent, and truly seemed to surpass even the capital   
of the White Moon Kingdom of long ago, but it also reminded   
him that he had participated in the destruction of such   
things in the past. It was not simply a city, a work of art   
that coexisted with the population of the Moon. Had he   
succeeded in the past, and indeed had any of those who had   
fought the Sailor Senshi succeeded, the city would never   
have existed.  
  
Soon, the magnificent, panoramic view was replaced by   
a much closer and more personal view as the shuttle's   
wheels lowered and touched the runway at the spaceport and   
they finally taxied to the concourse. The end of the trip   
put to rest Jadeite's wanderings in his mind, since there   
were more immediate concerns to take their place. Removing   
the seat belt, an action mirrored by Hotaru next to him, he   
rose up, and pulled their bags from the luggage   
compartments underneath the seats. Dividing the bags   
between themselves, they joined the crowd of passengers   
shuffling their way towards the doors of the shuttle. A   
short time later, they were standing on the marble floors   
inside the concourse.   
  
"Are you sure you'll be all right getting there,   
Jadeite?" asked Hotaru as they stood near the exits of the   
spaceport, overlooking the streets of Moon Palace City. Up   
close, the city was no less impressive than it had been   
from a distance, and if anything, it was more magnificent   
from up close. It could be seen that all the plant life --   
the trees, the grass, and even flowers -- were in perfect   
health and always well maintained. The crystal of the   
buildings was polished and kept impeccably neat, varying   
between cloudy spots which functioned almost like mirrors   
and areas of near transparency.  
  
"I don't expect to encounter much trouble. If the   
Moon is anything like it was in the past, I should have   
nothing to worry me," said Jadeite as he rested the strap   
of his bag on his shoulder. "Time to get going, at any   
rate. Good luck getting everything set up." With a slight   
wave towards Hotaru, Jadeite then began to make his way   
through the doors, and onto the streets of Moon Palace   
City.   
  
"I'm sure that it'll go well. See you tonight,   
Jadeite." Hotaru mirrored the wave, and went off in a   
different direction, weaving her way down the streets. She   
knew exactly where she was going, her first stop meant to   
be the Moon Palace itself so that she could speak to the   
King and Queen. Then, it would be off to the Crystal   
Watcher's Spire to meet with Sailor Pluto and discuss any   
new developments that might have occurred in the last few   
months. It was also going to be difficult to try and   
determine what they should tell Jadeite about his revival.   
She had faith that Pluto would come up with a way to tell   
him, though. Perhaps things would turn out well, and they'd   
even discover that there hadn't been as much of a threat as   
previously believed.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The walk to the Knight's Rest Inn had been rather   
pleasant, and had actually exceeded Jadeite's expectations   
of the city. Walking through the city had made even more   
evident the loving care its citizens put into its care. No   
litter cluttered the streets, and even the few outdoor   
restaurants he passed were notably devoid of trash. It had   
been even simpler to navigate than he had thought it would   
be at first, and there had been no trouble securing a room   
when he finally had gotten there.   
  
The room itself was a very nice setting, with a   
sizable bed covered by high quality sheets, a unique desk   
and chair that seemed to be made from crystal, like the   
buildings, and an extra seat. There weren't any windows in   
the traditional sense, but the crystal of the outside wall   
was transparent. A small panel rested on it, and apparently   
controlled the ability to have the crystal cloud up and   
become opaque. There were other subtle touches as well,   
including a nightstand and several clocks placed throughout   
the room.   
  
Jadeite didn't stay in the room long before simply   
setting down his bag and heading out again. The conditions   
outside had caught his attention, and he decided that he   
would pass the time waiting for Hotaru by taking a short   
walk around the area. Not only were the grounds beautiful,   
and frequently paced by artwork from various sculptors and   
artists of the city, but the weather was warm, and the sun   
was beginning its descent in time to the Earth's ascent   
into the sky. The path of the sun was different than it was   
on Earth, but it fortunately coincided with the evening's   
approach that day, leaving the Earth to fill the position   
in the night sky as the Moon did from there.   
  
Jadeite didn't go more than a block before he could   
tell that something was wrong. His perceptions were honed   
as they had always been, though, and it only took a moment   
for him to realize that there were no other people on the   
street nearby. He could make out forms several blocks away   
in different directions, but no one was close by. He found   
himself coming to a halt at the corner of an intersection,   
searching for what had caused the people to vacate the   
area.   
  
"Are you Jadeite?" came a voice from the opposite   
corner of the street. Turning, Jadeite saw the source   
standing between a pair of tall trees that he guessed were   
oaks. A youthful girl was there, dressed in a white and   
orange sailor fuku with a long gossamer bow at the back and   
matching shoulder cups. Her hair was a brilliant blond,   
flowing out at a length that had to be at least to her   
waist when settled. She was clearly a Sailor Senshi, and,   
when her blue eyes locked on his from across the way, he   
recognized her.  
  
"Sailor Venus. It's been ages since I last saw you."   
Jadeite's response was of the cool, noble manner that came   
to him naturally. With his gray eyes matching her blue   
eyes, he seemed, at that moment, to possess a steely   
determination. "Yes, I am he. Why have you sought me ought   
and cleared the streets?" He could only think of one   
probable explanation, but he didn't understand why she   
would be there already to oppose him. No one was supposed   
to know he was even alive.  
  
"You were one of the Four Kings of the Dark Kingdom.   
You can't blame me for being suspicious when you suddenly   
show up after hundreds of years with no explanation or   
reason. As one of the Queen's bodyguards and friends, it's   
my duty to make sure that you can't do anything to harm her   
or the people of this city." She was far more mature than   
she had been in the Silver Millennium, and indeed even more   
so than she had been when she had become a Sailor Senshi,   
an event that had occurred well before the rebirth of   
Sailor Moon.   
  
"I don't know why I'm here myself," he responded, his   
hands clenching tightly into fists at his sides. He allowed   
himself a bit of his pride in that moment, not wanting to   
say yet that he was there to apologize to Endymion. Still,   
it was the truth in a certain sense. "You're not going to   
leave me be peacefully, are you?" he added, noting the   
determined look in her eyes that matched his own as the   
corners of his lips turned down in a slight frown. Things   
had gone remarkably well up until that point, but trouble   
seemed inevitable. The posture she held, the look in her   
eyes, and the way her voice was level and calm created a   
grim picture of the situation.  
  
"I can't stand by and let an evil person simply go   
about their business. Given your past, I have no reason to   
believe that you're here for any good reasons. I apologize,   
but this has to be done." Her hands flew up quickly, and an   
orange halo of light rose up from the ground around her,   
accompanied by a wild wind that whipped about her hair and   
fuku. Golden, heart shaped links snaked upwards in a large   
spiral towards the point above her hands, and, for a   
moment, she stood still before calling out her attack and   
letting it fly.  
  
"Venus Love Me Chain!" she shouted, shifting forward   
as if throwing the chain towards him with her right arm so   
that it lanced across the intersection towards him. The   
golden light from the chain reflected off the silver   
pavement and the crystal buildings around them, causing the   
entire area to suddenly glow in response. It was a stunning   
sight that made it appear as though the city itself was   
coming to life to lend its aid to Venus.  
  
"Why apologize for what you believe?" murmured   
Jadeite as he took a moment to dive behind a nearby tree so   
that the chain of energy could pass by, its radiance   
casting itself against his simple white T-shirt and jeans.   
The Sailor Senshi were strong. They had grown greatly from   
the girls he'd fought as a King of the Dark Kingdom, and he   
was fairly sure he wasn't going to be a match for even one   
when he lacked all but the most basic of his powers.   
  
Jadeite didn't have long to think about what to do,   
though. The chain, moving much like a whip, snapped towards   
him with the apparent intent of tightly binding him to the   
tree. Ducking his head down, he let the energy chain lash   
itself around the trunk before he rose up to step out from   
behind his cover. She couldn't get him with that attack   
anymore, at least, leaving him the winner of their first   
round.   
  
"Please, just surrender. I don't want anyone to be   
hurt, and it'll be less taxing on us both," said Venus,   
beginning to cautiously move out into the intersection. Her   
hand tightly held the end of her chain as if it were still   
a valid weapon, which concerned Jadeite. He was agile, to   
his credit, though not to the extreme of many of the Sailor   
Senshi, and, without his powers he felt particularly clumsy   
in a battle.   
  
"I've done nothing here that warrants my surrender,   
and I can't give up until I've accomplished my mission,"   
Jadeite responded, clenching his fists tightly as he tried   
to remain light on his feet. Regardless of what she   
thought, though, he couldn't let down his guard there and   
just be beaten before he'd even gotten to look on the Moon   
Palace, much less speak to the King. He considered a moment   
as he watched her if, perhaps, he could have been more   
lenient in his response, as it would probably make her leap   
to the wrong conclusion, but it couldn't be helped anymore.   
If he surrendered, he might have a chance to explain things   
as he wished. He shook the though away after a moment   
though, realizing that his credibility would be greatly   
enhanced by the presence of Sailor Saturn with him.  
  
Venus' chain of energy suddenly unfurled from the   
tree at the use of a strong, subtle snap of her arm that   
loosened and freed it. A similar motion of her arm sent it   
flying towards Jadeite once again, the end's aim true as it   
flowed towards his waist so that it could be wrapped around   
him and put an end to the fight. However, Jadeite couldn't   
let it end so easily. As the chain drew near, he reached   
out with his left hand, forcing it to open. When Hotaru had   
granted him power for that brief moment a week ago, it had   
awoken some of his lingering knowledge, and the time had   
come to call upon it.  
  
A soft azure glow wrapped itself around his hand as   
the chain reached him, and he deftly shifted it to the   
side. A soft, electrical hiss permeated the air,   
accompanied by the faint, acrid odor of ozone as the weak   
energy field deflected the chain to the side, sending it   
limply to the ground a few feet away. The trick had worked,   
but Jadeite suspected that it would only manage to escalate   
the conflict. Unfortunately, that was nearly the extent of   
his power at the present time, and it concerned him   
greatly. He wished dearly that he could call up a full   
barrier to put the matter to rest.  
  
Venus widened her eyes for a moment as she watched   
her attack be deflected by the blond man. Still, she knew   
it shouldn't have surprised her, since he was once one of   
the Four Kings of the Dark Kingdom, and a Guardian of the   
Earth before that. She couldn't help but respect the power   
they had wielded, and they had once been good men. However,   
all they were to her were enemies, and there was no choice   
for her but to continue fighting. There was no reason to   
waste time, either. She lifted one hand above her head,   
yellow light gleaming about it as the energy chain faded   
away.  
  
"Crescent Beam!" she called out, bringing her hands   
down. With her right arm forward, she pointed at Jadeite   
with her index finger. A beam of yellow light, gleaming   
much brighter than the chain before had, lanced out towards   
him. Unlike before, the light was warped in color as it   
reflected off of the buildings, thanks to its more normal   
nature. A rainbow of myriad hues was cast out along the   
street as Jadeite twisted his body sharply to let the beam   
pass by and strike the wall some distance behind him.   
There, the light was shifted and cast out through the   
entire section in non-damaging but beautiful beams.   
  
The initial beam, though, had possessed energy that   
was quite damaging, or would have been had it struck   
Jadeite. He could still feel the lingering warmth from the   
attack that had nearly stricken him, and it gave him pause   
as he looked back towards Venus. It certainly did not make   
the situation any better. Still, if he could just gather   
enough of his own energy, he might be able to make one   
counter attack. It would only be one, though, and he wasn't   
sure if he could really affect her in any significant   
manner even then.   
  
Jadeite's considerations of a counterattack were   
interrupted when he was forced to duck a second beam of   
energy from Venus. It also gave him the motivation to stop   
standing still. Feet pounding against the silver street, he   
took off in an attempt to cross it as quickly as possible   
so that he could throw off a follow-up attack. It turned   
out to be a wise idea, because another beam shot by behind   
him. Rather than striking a building, the shot simply   
trailed down the street to vanish in the distance.   
  
It occurred to Jadeite that some people might   
consider themselves too old for the sort of ordeal he was   
experiencing. He was ancient if it was figured up   
chronologically, his age nearing some twenty-six hundred   
years. He had lived nearly fifty years in the Silver   
Millennium, and then a thousand in the Dark Kingdom, though   
that was only half of it. The world had spent a thousand   
years in the Silence, and it was still being thawed even   
during the current time in some places. Five hundred years   
after it had begun, the Shin-Muun Kingdom had been forced   
to deal with Wiseman. Finally, it had been fifty years   
following that incident when Jadeite finally was set free.   
While he hadn't aged greatly over any of the time thanks to   
the powers that had been part of him, he still felt old   
from time to time. Being in the middle of a fight which was   
not necessary, and one that he was plainly able to tell was   
not necessary, made him realize that he had acquired at   
least some wisdom over the years, and that, in turn, made   
him feel even older.  
  
Jadeite was forced to bring himself to a sudden stop   
as he reached the other side of the street as another of   
Sailor Venus' crescent beams shot by a few steps in front   
of him. Once again he felt the heat from the attack as it   
nearly struck him, causing him to kneel from the exertion   
of nearly clotheslining himself to avoid the attack. As he   
worked to catch his breath, he finally allowed himself a   
moment to sigh quietly. He was going to have to fight back,   
or he was going to end up getting killed. He just needed to   
find an opportunity to end the battle with minimal harm.   
There was only one option that came to mind, though. He   
dove to take cover in the doorway of the building at the   
base of which he stood. He knew that she must have seen   
him, but with her distance from him, the angle was too   
extreme for her to hit him, and it'd take her a moment to   
get to a position where she could attack.  
  
Jadeite hoped that he'd have enough time as he lifted   
his fist up before his chest, his other hand clamping on   
his wrist as he began to try and use his abilities to   
gather energy from the world around him. He couldn't gather   
energy nearly as swiftly from the world as he'd been able   
to before, but Moon Palace City was abundant with what he   
needed, letting him call it to him more swiftly than he   
expected. Electricity began to jump around his fist, its   
flickering glow casting a blue hue through the shadowed   
entryway of the building in which he stood. He was   
thankful, for a moment, for the cloudy nature of the   
crystal that composed that particular building. If he could   
gather energy for just a few more moments, then he'd be   
able to make a counterattack.  
  
Sailor Venus could feel the odd static electricity in   
the air as she ran down the street in an attempt to get to   
a point from which she could attack Jadeite. Her lesser   
attacks had all been avoided, and, to her, it looked as   
though he'd done so easily despite the fact that it had   
actually been more of a case of effort and luck on his   
part. She was going to have to utilize her most powerful   
attack to bring him under control, since the others hadn't   
succeeded, and that meant that she couldn't hold back   
against him any more. Just a little bit further, and she   
could get him.  
  
The glow from within the entryway caught Venus' eye   
as she ran, and she managed to skid to a stop. She already   
knew Jadeite was there, but she wasn't sure if he was going   
to fire back. She knew the answer at that moment, though,   
and she could see him with the energy burning around his   
hand. It looked like he wasn't ready with his attack yet,   
as well, and that meant that she had to take advantage of   
the situation at that moment.   
  
Turning to face him, she took a solid stance and ran   
her hand up through her blond hair. Orange light flashed up   
from beneath her, and, in front of her the symbol of Venus   
appeared, formed from intense energy. Turning her body into   
a pose befitting a model, with one leg slightly raised and   
a hand on her hip, with the other near her face, she gave a   
wink, and then made a kiss into midair.   
  
"Venus, Love and Beauty Shock!" she said in a loud,   
but gentle, call as orange light formed a giant heart where   
she'd kissed the air. It launched forth, spinning in the   
air and glowing on its way towards Jadeite, who had no   
choice but to meet it head on. There was no doubt that   
there was significant power in her attack, and the only way   
for him to stop the large strike was to meet it, if he   
could.  
  
Jadeite lowered his hand to his side, and then simply   
reached forward in a motion akin to punching. He knew, even   
as he let the bolt of electricity free, that it wasn't   
sufficient to take down Venus. He didn't have the time, or   
the capacity, to call on the energy that he'd have needed   
to defeat her, and it was about to be proven beyond a   
doubt. Crackling, blazing electricity, its hum filling the   
air in tune with the chime of Venus' attack, met the orange   
energy in the form of a heart. He had gathered as much   
power as he was capable of collecting, and it packed a   
solid punch, tearing a chunk of the heart away as it shot   
through and then faded, its energy spent. It did not,   
however, fully stop the attack, and the remnants of Venus'   
energy headed straight towards him.  
  
"Damn," Jadeite uttered quietly just before the   
energy struck him, pushing him forcefully against the   
unyielding crystal wall of the entryway in which he'd taken   
cover. Pain exploded through his nerves, burning through   
him from his entire right side and his forehead. He dropped   
down to one knee, supporting himself with his arm against   
the wall to keep from falling all the way down. It occurred   
to him that the Senshi were as powerful as they had been in   
the distant past of the Silver Millennium. Perhaps even   
more so, in fact, as they had faced much more difficult   
battles than they ever had then. He, on the other hand, had   
very little with which to fight. However, he knew he   
couldn't give up. Through the haze of pain, he tried to   
focus enough to gather some more energy to launch at Venus.  
  
"Haven't you had enough yet?" asked Venus in a   
rhetorical manner. It was obvious he was still going to try   
and fend her off, despite the fact that he knew he had no   
chance of winning. "All right, then. We'll finish this   
now." Venus raised her hands up above her head, golden   
energy once more collecting there. Jadeite, wounded and   
somewhat incoherent due to the fact he was trying to gather   
enough energy to stop her, was just as oblivious as she was   
to the sound of footsteps rushing towards them.   
  
"Venus, Crescent Beam Sho--" Venus found herself   
interrupted as she spoke the name of her attack and took   
aim by the gleaming U-shaped blade of the Silence Glaive as   
it poised itself no more than an inch from her neck. So   
masterfully crafted and beautiful was that weapon that, as   
Venus looked over to connect the only possible user of the   
weapon to its haft, she could see the reflection of purple   
eyes and black hair on the steel.  
  
"Enough, Venus," said Sailor Saturn quietly, her   
purple eyes slightly narrowed as she focused on the blond   
Sailor Senshi. "What in the world are you doing? Since when   
are we supposed to attack people for no reason?" Her voice   
was deathly calm, but there was a rising hint of veiled   
anger behind it that Venus couldn't quite understand.   
  
"What do you mean?" asked Venus, remaining totally   
still. The power of that weapon so near her was undeniable,   
and to be near the receiving end of its might was not a   
situation in which she wished to be. "That's Jadeite, isn't   
it, a King of the Dark Kingdom?" It didn't make sense to   
her that another Senshi should be defending one of their   
darkest enemies.  
  
"He is here because we decided to bring him here,   
Venus. Please don't interfere. You'll find out soon enough   
as it is," said Saturn. The Silence Glaive remained   
motionless at Venus' neck as she spoke, her white-gloved   
hands holding the weapon firmly. "Now, please step away so   
I can see if he's all right."   
  
"All right, then," said Venus quietly, taking a few   
steps away. She didn't outwardly show it, but she was quite   
thankful to be away from Saturn's deadly weapon. She could   
almost feel where it had been aimed, and it wasn't until   
Saturn had moved towards Jadeite and lowered the weapon   
that she reached up to tentatively rub her neck here. It   
was faintly sore when she touched it, and to her surprise   
there were a few small smears of blood when she pulled her   
gloved hand away. The weapon had cut her without even   
touching her, and she was reminded in that instant why   
Saturn was one of the most powerful of all the Sailor   
Senshi.  
  
Watching the exchange, Jadeite had waited several   
long moments to let the energy he was gathering disperse.   
He was glad that he'd been able to call on it at all, but   
it was painfully obvious, yet again, just how weak he   
really was at present. After taking a few moments to catch   
his breath, he let out a soft sigh, and let himself slide   
all the way down the wall to sit with his back against it   
on the ground. The soft touch of blood could be felt as it   
ran down the side of his face from his hit on the wall, and   
he could feel the dull soreness in his right arm, which had   
struck the solid crystal first.  
  
"Jadeite, are you well?" asked Saturn as she kneeled   
next to him, holding the Silence Glaive in her left hand   
lightly. She knew that he wasn't in the best shape simply   
by looking at him. His hair was quickly matting from blood   
slowly seeping from his hairline, and his arm was already   
bruising darkly. It was easily possible he'd broken his it.  
  
"You might say that it stings a little," responded   
Jadeite quietly, fixing his steel gray eyes on Saturn. "I   
hate to say it, but I've had much worse in the past." That,   
at least, was very true. From the fight with the youma a   
week ago, and reaching all the way back to the time he'd   
been run over by an airplane, it was quite true that he'd   
experienced his share of injuries.   
  
"I'll try and heal you," said Saturn, resting her   
hand softly upon his forehead as she did so. It'd take her   
a few moments to get him to feel better, but she could   
repair the damage that had been done. Unfortunately, she   
lacked those few moments, as another voice, belonging to   
another Senshi, interrupted her.  
  
"What's going on? Why is she helping him?" The   
normally cool, but distinctly angry, voice of Sailor Mars   
broke through the temporary quiet that had settled on the   
streets. Her violet eyes focused on the scene of Venus   
standing and watching as Sailor Saturn tended to Jadeite.   
It made no sense, as far as she could tell.  
  
"I'm not sure myself, yet," replied Venus, turning   
towards the newly arrived Mars with a slightly confused   
look on her face. "He refused to give in when I told him to   
surrender, and so I tried to capture him as best I could.   
If it weren't for your warning, we'd never have known he   
was here on the Moon." She seemed to be fairly composed,   
particularly for someone who had just had an awesomely   
powerful weapon pointed at her.  
  
"So long as he was stopped. Give me a minute to try   
and contact the King and Queen, so we can figure out what   
to do." Mars went over towards the building, her eyes   
focusing on Jadeite as she passed by him so that she could   
use a telephone inside. Violet met gray, and, for a moment,   
time seemed to freeze. They were no more than a couple of   
feet away, an occurrence that hadn't taken place since the   
Silver Millennium. For a split second, her resolve weakened   
as she looked at him and remembered him as he was. There   
was something about the look in his eyes that hadn't been   
there when she'd fought him as a King of the Dark Kingdom.   
She couldn't quite identify it, but she knew it was there,   
and it troubled her more than she wanted to admit. Tearing   
her gaze away, she finished her trip inside, and moved to   
call the King and Queen.  
  
"Mars told you he was coming here?" asked Saturn,   
turning to look at Venus. She had remained silent as   
Jadeite and Mars had exchanged glances, trying to determine   
exactly what there was that was being communicated, or not   
communicated, between them. She felt a vague flash of heat   
within her as she remembered what they had been in the   
Silver Millennium, and tried to identify the feeling with   
which she was suddenly assaulted. Was it jealousy of a   
single glance? She shook her head slightly to dismiss the   
idea. After all, Jadeite was just a friend to her, not to   
mention that he and Mars were practically the worst of   
enemies.  
  
"She let me know, yes," replied Venus, looking back   
at the pair as Saturn tried to help Jadeite. "Why is he   
here? I thought he was supposed to have been hurt or killed   
back before I even showed up to help the rest of the   
Senshi. Even if he wasn't, he wasn't accounted for. It   
really didn't make sense that he'd have died that easily,   
but how could he have just disappeared for so long?"  
  
"Queen Beryl had imprisoned him in crystal for his   
failure to defeat the other Senshi. He only recently   
managed to finally escape from that torturous existence."   
Saturn didn't mention that she was the reason he'd been   
able to get free, and she saw no reason to mention such at   
present. It'd be known soon enough as it was, and it wasn't   
necessary to mention something that might have caused a   
rift among the Senshi. She didn't want any more of a rift   
than there was already going to be.  
  
"Is he, you know, safe?" asked Venus, peering at the   
slowly healing Jadeite. Saturn must have been protecting   
him for a reason, so she didn't seem to regard him as so   
much of an enemy any more. Rather, she was treating him   
more like a curiosity than anything else.  
  
"I wouldn't have brought him here if it weren't safe,   
Venus," replied Hotaru a bit more coldly than she meant to.   
She caught herself, though, and uttered an apology. "Sorry,   
I didn't mean to be so harsh." She really couldn't place   
why she'd been so quick to defend him. It was true that he   
wasn't dangerous, since, if he were planning on having done   
anything, he would have gone through with it long ago.  
  
"It's all right," said Venus slowly. She didn't know   
quite what to make of Saturn's somewhat odd behavior in the   
past few minutes. If she was trying to protect Jadeite, it   
made sense that she'd have defended him with her weapon as   
she did, since he could have possibly been killed, but her   
defense of his character didn't quite figure in; not unless   
she had some other sort of connection to him beyond just   
that of escorting him here. "So why did you bring him here,   
then?"  
  
"I need to take him to discuss some important matters   
with Pluto, and he wanted to meet with King Endymion and   
apologize to him." Saturn simply stated the business   
plainly, not needing to accent the fact that Jadeite was   
here to apologize. Her manner of speech made it readily   
apparent that it was his purpose in being there. When in   
the form of Sailor Saturn, Hotaru was much more to the   
point and calm, never over emphasizing things.   
  
"Apologize to him? Oh, right, didn't he get in a   
fight with him before Mars messed up his control of the   
planes? He almost killed King Endymion." Venus took a   
moment to collect all the facts in her mind, but they were   
accurate. It surprised her, too, that apology was his   
reason for being there. It was not a characteristic that   
she associated with Kings of the Dark Kingdom in the least,   
and yet, if he were there, he couldn't really be one of   
them any more, since the Dark Kingdom no longer existed.  
  
"The King and Queen want him brought to the Moon   
Palace immediately so that they can speak with him," said   
Mars as she reappeared in the doorway of the building.   
"We're to escort him there, and they want to know why   
you're protecting him, Saturn."   
  
"We can't go immediately," responded Saturn calmly.   
"Go and tell them that we'll be there soon."  
  
"What? You can't just deny what they request!" Mars   
found herself angered by the belligerence of Saturn's   
response. No one ever refused requests of the King and   
Queen, and those were orders, not requests, making it even   
more astonishing.   
  
"Can you stand up, Jadeite?" Saturn asked him   
quietly, turning her attention back where she believed it   
belonged.  
  
"I'll be fine," Jadeite responded, beginning to pull   
himself up to his feet slowly. His legs hadn't been hurt,   
fortunately, and that made it a lot easier for him to   
stand, though the head wound made him slightly dizzy.   
"Where are we going?"  
  
"We have to meet with Pluto. That way we can be ready   
to go before the King and Queen." Saturn put her free arm   
around his shoulders to help him keep his balance, then   
began to lead him off.  
  
"You can't just go, Saturn. His presence was ordered   
by Serenity!" said Mars. She didn't want to have to try and   
stop them, but the King and Queen were the law of the   
entire Shin-Muun Kingdom. It wasn't something people   
defied. Still, if she had to, she would do her best.  
  
"Go and tell them, along with Venus, that we'll be   
there in an hour. Please don't get in my way. These matters   
are very important, and I don't want to waste any more   
time." Perhaps the most disturbing thing about the way she   
was acting was the fact that she was still as calm and   
collected as she had been for the majority of the   
encounter, though to prove that she was serious, she hefted   
up the Silence Glaive slightly, pausing to point it warily   
in the direction of Mars and Venus.  
  
"Fine, then," said Mars, her voice betraying her   
obvious awe at, and irritation with, the situation. "Come   
on, Venus. Let's get over there quickly." Mars took off in   
a run, crossing the street quickly as she headed off for   
the Moon Palace. Venus followed suit, simply giving an   
apologetic smile to Saturn and Jadeite on her way. She was   
much more easily able to feel empathy for them than Mars,   
and even if they didn't realize it, she could tell that   
there might be something between them someday.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Crystal Watcher's Spire was a single, smooth   
point that rose up even above the top of the Moon Palace,   
its peak capped by glittering white that shone like   
diamond. If one were to step outside of Moon Palace City,   
the majestic point would become visible almost immediately   
thanks to the way it towered above the skyline. The   
structure almost appeared to be made of pure white light   
when the sun struck it correctly, making it hard to   
approach from the outside. No one ever gained access to the   
structure unless they were invited or were one of the four   
who belonged there, for the outside had no visible doorways   
or even windows.  
  
The building itself rested amidst a small park filled   
with ivy that seemed to almost writhe as if it were an   
animal, when the breeze touched it. Tendrils of the plants   
seemed to slither across the walk as if to ward off any   
whom were foolish enough to approach the Spire, the base of   
which was larger than those who saw it from outside of the   
town ever expected. The generally accepted measurement was   
sixty meters, and those who inquired at the city's depot of   
building blueprints would find that that was the listed   
size. However, when one stood near to it, it seemed to be   
almost half again that size. Few ever gave it much thought,   
though.  
  
At the base of the gleaming Spire, which had begun to   
glow as the last fading rays of sunlight caught its very   
tip, there stood the figures of Sailor Saturn and Jadeite.   
Let through the vines by Saturn, Jadeite found that the ivy   
seemed rather docile and natural up close, remaining   
unmoving as his feet crossed over it beside Saturn's boots.   
Still, he couldn't escape the feeling that something wasn't   
quite natural about it. He pondered it as they advanced for   
a few moments until they stood no more than a few feet from   
the smooth, crystalline exterior of the Spire.  
  
"This is where Pluto is waiting for us. The building   
is called the Crystal Watcher's Spire, and all of the Outer   
Senshi use this as the main base of operations for   
protecting the Solar System from threats that come from   
outside," spoke Saturn, looking over to Jadeite as she did   
so. "Go ahead and keep walking. It'll be fine, don't   
worry."  
  
"An illusion, is it?" asked Jadeite quietly. One of   
his greatest fortes was the art of illusion magic, and,   
though he found himself unable to call upon it in any   
capacity, he found it remarkably easy to recognize even   
when he was in his present condition. Even so, the simple   
disregarding of the most powerful of all defense mechanisms   
the place possessed shocked Saturn slightly.  
  
"How can you tell?" she asked, turning her purple   
eyes back to the almost arrow-like building. It had taken   
all four of the Outer Senshi's powers to generate the image   
of the Spire being wider than it truly was, and so she was   
right in her unpreparedness for Jadeite seeing through it   
so casually.   
  
"There's a slight aura that I always have seen about   
illusions, that I can not seem to shake. Well, rather I   
should say that during the Dark Kingdom time, I lost the   
ability." He found it hard to say that he believed it had   
been from the youma parts of his body that he had possessed   
then, for he no longer could readily accept the fact that   
he'd allowed such a thing to happen to him. Since he was   
human again, such things were not there to spoil his senses   
and it made him appreciate the rebirth that he'd   
experienced.  
  
"Is there any way we could avoid it being   
detectable?" asked Hotaru of the former Guardian. If he   
could see through it, maybe there were others who also were   
able to do so. However, no one had ever noticed it before,   
so it might have been that he was unique in that ability.   
Her speculation on the topic was answered even without it   
being vocalized when he spoke again, however.  
  
"I do not believe so. It's something ingrained in the   
very fact that it's magic that lets me see it. I only ever   
knew one other person in the entire time I've existed that   
was able to do the same thing, and he is long since dead."   
There was a momentary, wistful sigh that escaped from   
Jadeite as he finished his statement. So many people had   
met fates that seemed cruel in his lifetime, and many of   
them were centered around him. It was a large part of why   
he sought to become a Guardian of the Earth once again. The   
chance to atone for the hurt that others had suffered   
through their relations to him was one over which he   
couldn't pass.   
  
"I guess it's not that major a concern then, if   
you're the only one who can tell. Anyway, shall we go in?"   
It took Saturn a few minutes to respond to Jadeite's words   
as she considered them carefully. As she had lived near   
him, she had become more and more sensitive to the subtle   
characteristics of his outward expressions in relation to   
his moods and thoughts. They truly were well masked, and   
she doubted that many other people would ever have been   
able to determine those slight changes in the way his eyes   
were narrowed or the shift of mere hairsbreadths of his   
lips.  
  
"I do not wish to keep anyone waiting longer than   
necessary," replied Jadeite, taking a soft breath to steel   
himself before he stepped forward and disappeared through   
the building's illusionary outer wall. The crystal didn't   
appear to ripple, or indeed, even change its hue as he   
entered it, instead remaining perfectly motionless and   
solid in appearance. What he saw on the other side gave him   
reason to pause.  
  
"We have to make sure the Spire is well defended.   
It's a peaceful time, but, after the come of the Death   
Phantom, we decided that we needed to be certain that no   
one could get in here, be they friend or foe, unless we let   
them," Saturn said as Jadeite looked slowly over the   
perimeter of the tower's real base. Almost like the thorns   
of a rose, a series of spikes made of the same crystal as   
the building jutted out, slowly performing a dance. They   
all seemed to be organized into a pair of rather random   
rows that revolved opposite one another. Their edges   
appeared to be much like serrated glass, and he had no   
doubt that they would easily shred a person who got caught   
in their slow waltz.  
  
"So, how does one who is invited get in, then?"   
Jadeite asked after a few moments of watching the deadly   
thorns. "I assume that there is a door."   
  
"They have a cycle. The thorns appear random in their   
movements, but every few minutes their pattern forms an   
opening that you have about thirty seconds pass. If we're   
expecting trouble, we can make the rotation much faster,   
though," replied Saturn, standing next to Jadeite after   
having stepped through a moment after he had. "Once it's   
clear, we'll go in and meet with Pluto."   
  
"It seems like we arrived just in time," said Jadeite   
when Saturn finished. The thorns had drifted apart, and   
there he could see a very simple arch-shaped section that   
glowed with the telltale blue of illusion magic. He didn't   
have time to say anything else, though, thanks to a push on   
his back from Saturn that sent him through the doorway.   
  
"Remember, there's not long to go through, so we   
can't hang around out there if we don't want to waste more   
time waiting for another cycle to complete," said Saturn as   
she stepped into the interior of the Spire behind him. The   
structure's insides were much as he'd imagined they might   
have been, made entirely of partially transparent blue,   
white, and green crystal. However, what surprised him was   
the dimness of the area, as only a faint glow provided   
illumination that highlighted the ascending spiral stairs   
in the center of the large entryway. Its size was   
impressive, and Jadeite guessed that it took up the entire   
ground floor of the Spire.   
  
"I didn't think I hesitated that much," Jadeite said,   
smiling faintly. He wasn't irritated by Saturn's action,   
and he could tell from the soft rise in her voice that she   
had meant it as a joke of sorts. He suspected that she   
wouldn't have done that aggressively, mild as it was, to   
anyone else, and it almost gave him reason to pause and   
consider it. However, he had not forgotten that they were   
there for a reason. "Up the stairs, then."  
  
"Yes, all the way to the top. Pluto should be   
there," said Saturn, falling in behind Jadeite as he made   
his way to the stairs and began the ascent. The stairway   
was long, though he believed that it was not the full   
height of the Spire itself thanks to some magic of a   
spacial nature. There were plenty of different levels to   
the structure, but they did not stop at any of the doors   
until, finally, the stairs came to a halt before a single   
wooden door. It was the only thing he'd seen in the entire   
building not made of crystal, which puzzled him slightly.   
  
Jadeite stood to the side of the door, looking back   
at Saturn as she crested the steps. She stood there for a   
moment, lightly leaning on the Silence Glaive before she   
nodded to him slightly and went to open the door, pulling   
it outward by a silver ring that took the place of a   
doorknob. It swung silently open to reveal a room that, to   
Jadeite's surprise, was even more dimly lit than the rest   
of the Spire. He did not allow himself to hold any   
reservations, though, when Saturn stepped in, his feet   
carrying him through the doorway in her wake.  
  
"You're already having trouble, and you've not been   
here even half a day," said a mature, enunciated voice. Its   
source drew Jadeite's attention almost instantly, and   
immediately he found himself meeting her gaze, despite the   
fact that he had resolved not to do so previously. Within   
those cerise eyes he could see something similar to what he   
had so long ago in the Silver Millennium and it began to   
tug at something deep within him. Apprehension threatened   
to grip him, but then, it suddenly faded away.  
  
"Sailor Pluto," Jadeite said quietly, "such a long   
time since we last met, hasn't it been?" It almost   
surprised him that he could sound so calm when she had   
unnerved him so much only a moment ago. Perhaps it was the   
relief of finally understanding what had been in her eyes?   
It had been as if she were watching a tragedy that only she   
could see, and it dawned on him that with her powers, she   
had probably been able to glean some hint of what was to   
come for both him and others of the Silver Millennium.   
  
"It has been many years. You've aged well, Jadeite,"   
Pluto said in response, shifting so that she was beneath a   
soft shaft of dim light that seemed to follow her once she   
had entered its area. "You are a lot stronger than I   
remember, though." Her voice pierced the quiet room once   
again, and finally he could plainly see her dark green and   
white sailor fuku, complete with pink ribbons at the back   
of the waist. Still, his attention was mainly caught by her   
eyes, as well as the long, dark hair that held a green   
sheen to its long black locks which brushed at her thighs.   
  
"I wouldn't say that I'm stronger than I was then,   
but it is a compliment that I will accept," responded the   
blond former Guardian. "Being frozen helped my appearance,   
as well. There was no capacity for aging." Those born in   
the Silver Millennium had been prone to much greater life   
spans than the people of the modern Shin-Muun Kingdom,   
though that was gradually changing. Not long before, the   
power had been discovered to use the ginzuishou, the Silver   
Crystal, to grant longer life to many of the common people   
of the kingdom. Even with that boon to his life, had he not   
been frozen, he would probably have died many years ago.  
  
"You were not quite as strong in your convictions   
back then as you are now. Despite your loss of power, you   
have more of a sense of loyalty. Hence, you have become   
stronger. However, this is not the time to discuss such   
matters as that." Pluto allowed Jadeite and Saturn a moment   
to situate themselves under spotlights similar to the one   
beneath which she stood before continuing.   
  
"I must confer with Saturn, but I suspect that I   
already know what she is going to tell me. Jadeite, you   
must be absolutely certain that King Endymion bestows your   
former title and position on you once more, along with the   
powers it entails. Since we don't have much time, thanks to   
the rather hasty judgments made by some of the other   
Senshi, though they were doing what they thought best, I   
cannot go into detail as to why it is so imperative."  
  
"It has become necessary?" asked Saturn softly,   
speaking for the first time since she'd entered the room.   
"You must have learned something while I've been away." Her   
sudden entrance into the conversation wasn't totally   
unexpected by Jadeite, but it did make it obvious that   
there were things he was not yet aware of. In time, though,   
he imagined that he'd learn what was going on.  
  
"I haven't any intention of failing, regardless of   
how important it may or may not be," said Jadeite, taking   
his turn to speak. "If it's needed, though, I won't back   
down from it. I would like to know why the situation is so   
grim, though, if it's possible." It would be different to   
fight in defense of the Moon, rather than against it, when   
he considered the possibility. Defending the Earth was   
familiar, but, because the two had practically become one   
with regards to government and rulership he found that he   
had no trouble with the idea of his loyalty lying in both.   
  
"The foundation of this world is in danger of   
cracking. That is all I can say for the moment. Now, go   
ahead, and hurry to the Moon Palace. The King and Queen are   
no doubt waiting for you very anxiously." Pluto smiled   
faintly as she finished speaking. "Good luck to the both of   
you."  
  
"Both of us?" asked Saturn quietly, looking away from   
Jadeite, towards whom she'd found her eyes unconsciously   
drifting to eye Sailor Pluto in a bit of confusion.  
  
"You'll understand very soon, Hotaru-chan," responded   
Pluto. "As I said, though, get yourselves going. I'll have   
time to talk to you before Jadeite is available for me to   
speak to again. We'll go over things then."  
  
"Very well, then," said Saturn, turning to step back   
towards the door, which appeared much the same as it did   
from outside the room. Oddly enough, it even seemed to be   
as well lit as it was outside, as though to make it easy to   
find.   
  
"Until the next time we meet," said Jadeite, who   
bowed deeply before following Saturn on his way out of the   
room. Together they made their way back down to the base of   
the Spire, and from there they began the trek over to the   
Moon Palace. It was not far off, and soon, they found   
themselves standing outside the front gate of the massive   
home of the Shin-Muun Kingdom's royalty. Soon, Jadeite   
would see King Endymion once more, and he would be able to   
apologize. Just as important, it would be his chance to   
reclaim the title that he had lost. Not out of pride did he   
seek the title, though, instead wanting it so that he could   
redeem himself. Only time would tell if he would be granted   
that chance. 


	4. Elegy for the Heavens Chapter 4

Elegy for the Heavens  
By Asura  
(Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com)  
  
This is an edited version, in a way. Really, I'm just  
adding in this section right here. In addition to the   
typical notice that Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation own  
the Japanese rights while DiC, the masters of darkness,   
and Cloverway, the leprechaun nightmare brigade, are the   
owners of the North American dubbing rights, I'd like to   
thank my girlfriend Kei-chan for the picture of Jadeite  
and Hotaru at the celebration she did. Her picture is the  
source of the description of her dress in the ballroom   
scene at the end of the chapter. For those who wish to see,  
her web site is listed below:  
http://www.crosswinds.net/~staindglass/index.html  
It can be found in her fan art section, though I encourage  
taking a look at all of her beautiful pictures and   
perhaps leaving a note on her little message board. ^^  
  
Chapter 4: Toui Kessaku: Kinchou Shiteru Kokoro no   
Shinjitsusa - Jadeite's Trial  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Moon Palace had been rebuilt several times over   
the course of history, its architecture evolving with each   
new incarnation to match the times that saw its rise. In   
the wake of the Wiseman and his private war against the   
beginnings of the Shin-Muun Kingdom the Moon Palace had   
once more been rebuilt. Like most of Moon Palace City, the   
Palace itself was made of crystal. While the other   
buildings saw a variation between opaque, clouded tints and   
vibrant, prismatic crystal, the Moon Palace was forged of a   
brilliant, opalescent crystal that made the structure seem   
to almost be made of light when the sun struck its surface.   
Together with the Crystal Watcher's Spire, it lit up Moon   
Palace City like a beacon that could be seen for great   
distances.  
  
The actual shape of the Moon Palace was that of a   
graceful, curving cluster of towers that were connected to   
one another almost like a mountain range that had been   
condensed and stretched upwards. Unlike most of the   
buildings in the city, the Moon Palace actually had windows   
carved into its surface, the openings covered by stained   
glass that depicted a variety of scenes ranging from some   
that honored the Silver Millennium and Queen Serenity to   
scenes that showed moments of great battles against   
villains the Sailor Senshi had fought in the past. Despite   
their colored nature, the stained glass windows were   
transparent, allowing those within the Palace to look out   
upon the city.  
  
It was below, at the gates, where Sailor Saturn and   
Jadeite stood. The Moon Palace was surrounded by an about   
waist-height wall that was made out of the more mundane,   
clouded crystal that made up many of the buildings in the   
city. Planted before it were rows of rose bushes, which   
also lined the path leading to an archway built to rise up   
from the wall and give a vantage point to the guards who   
were constantly positioned there. A wrought gate of bronze   
provided a barrier to those who would enter without   
permission in times of conflict, but its open state and the   
short wall made it rather ineffective as anything more than   
a psychological deterrent. The guards did seem attentive to   
their duty, though, calling into the great foyer of the   
Palace for a detachment of guards to escort the pair in.   
  
The inside of the Moon Palace matched the outside   
well, its areas well-lit and made of cleanly polished,   
smooth crystal that was inlaid with a grid of white marble.   
Tables, chandeliers, and shelves alike seemed to literally   
grow out of the surfaces to which they were affixed, and,   
amazingly, the chairs were even still easily moveable, even   
if they were not able to be lifted from the floor. Walking   
through the foyer and into the large waiting room that set   
outside the throne room, the color of the interior lighting   
changed from the white glow of sunlight outside to a soft,   
peaceful blue. It was there that they were asked to wait   
for admittance to the throne room.  
  
"King Endymion will most assuredly ask you many hard   
questions," said Sailor Saturn as she stood next to   
Jadeite. "Be sure that you are ready to answer them." She   
knew Jadeite was an intelligent man, but the King was also   
well learned, in addition to being a person who possessed a   
long memory. He was fair, but that almost made the   
situation more difficult, for it would make Jadeite's past   
actions more difficult to counter by words alone.   
  
"If he is as he was when I knew him before, then I   
believe you are correct. However, I have had a long time to   
play this situation over in my mind. The results, good or   
bad, are inevitable." Jadeite did not want to even consider   
the possibility of failing in convincing the King that he   
deserved a second chance, but the possibility was there,   
lingering despite Pluto's strong statement that he must   
succeed. Moreover, he knew that if he failed that it would   
disappoint Hotaru greatly, and he had no desire to be the   
source of any sorrow for the young woman.  
  
"I know you have," Saturn responded, closing her eyes   
for a moment and sighing quietly. He had put great amounts   
of time and thought into what he was going to say, and she   
knew that succeeding meant more than anything else did to   
him. The idea of him failing was one that, to her surprise,   
made her feel much worse than she expected. "I'll go ahead   
and speak to them first, to make sure that he will listen   
to you. Then, you can say your peace. I'm sure that he'll   
give you the chance to have your powers and position back   
once he hears what you've been through and decided."  
  
"I am sure my faith in his ability to judge character   
is well placed," Jadeite said. He had to believe that King   
Endymion would be able to see through to Jadeite's heart   
and not simply judge him on the past. Again, it was his   
dedication towards fairness that concerned Jadeite. "If   
things don't go well, at least I have a life on which to   
fall back for now," he added, allowing himself a faint   
smile of appreciation at the fact.   
  
"That's right, you do," said Saturn, and though it   
looked like she might have added something to that thought,   
it was cut off by the opening of a pair of large double   
doors forged of silver-gilded crystal before them. Through   
the open portal the main hall of the Moon Palace could be   
seen, from the long red carpet that led up to the raised   
platform at the far end of the hall to the large, ornate   
pillars that provided support for the ceiling. Vines, grown   
from the base of the pillars, ascended the massive columns   
and ran along the vaulted ceiling, providing a balance of   
magic and nature in the room. Guards, clad in white   
uniforms trimmed with black and silver, were lined up   
before the pillars and along the carpet, keeping a watchful   
gaze on the newly opened door. Finally, at the end of the   
hall was the throne platform, with a pair of simple but   
elegantly carved crystal thrones with soft cushions and   
gold inlays.  
  
"Her and His Majesties, Neo-Queen Serenity and King   
Endymion, will now see you. Please advance slowly and show   
proper respect," said one of two guards who stood just   
inside the massive doorway, a gesture of his hand   
accompanying the words to beckon Saturn and Jadeite onward.   
Like all the other guards, a visor of reflective, silver-  
tinted glass covered his face, making his features   
impossible to determine aside from his trimmed brown hair.   
  
A nod from Jadeite was given to the man, and he began   
to advance into the room slowly, with Saturn taking the   
lead a short distance in front of him. As he advanced, he   
could see the forms of King Endymion, clad in the mix of   
silver armor and black cape with white dress clothing   
beneath, along with his strange glasses with their flared,   
white frames. His expression was grim, his jaw set firmly   
and his arms resting on the arms of his throne, and Jadeite   
could feel the King's slightly narrowed light blue eyes   
focused on him already.   
  
Next to King Endymion sat the matured Neo-Queen   
Serenity, her long blond double ponytails trailing down   
from the small styled spheres on either side of her head.   
She wore the elaborately embroidered white dress of the   
Neo-Queen, and a simple white necklace adorned her neck.   
She, like her husband, the King, had her blue eyes on   
Jadeite as he walked along the red carpet towards them. Her   
gaze, unlike King Endymion's, switched back and forth   
between Jadeite and Sailor Saturn, however, and she seemed   
to be almost curious at what was going on, rather than   
suspicious.   
  
In addition to the King and Neo-Queen, the figures of   
Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus flanked the thrones, each   
mirroring the general expressions of the member of the   
royal family they stood next to; Sailor Mars held the grim,   
slightly suspicious gaze of the King, while Sailor Venus   
held the more curious and slightly compassionate gaze of   
the Queen. It crossed Jadeite's mind, as he approached,   
that things might become less difficult since he wasn't   
regarded with outright hostility by at least half the   
people in power who were present. However, knowing the   
stubbornness of Sailor Mars, he didn't expect to have a   
chance of converting her to his point of view.   
  
"Sailor Pluto regrets that she cannot be here to   
speak with you, Your Majesties, but she has business of   
urgent nature to which she must attend. I am performing the   
part of her liaison for this encounter," spoke Sailor   
Saturn in her soft, serious tone. She had stopped several   
meters from the base of the risen throne platform, offering   
a slight bow to those assembled before her. Jadeite   
mirrored the motion, though he held the bow a moment   
longer.   
  
"It is obvious that the situation is more complicated   
than it seemed at first, and so I admit that I am very   
interested in what reasons there could be for bringing   
before us a man who so horribly betrayed the White Moon   
Kingdom here," spoke King Endymion, settling his hands on   
his knees as he spoke. His voice was that of a man who held   
authority, deep and even with a hidden melody to its   
timbre. "I was not inclined to hear whatever arguments or   
reasons there may be at first, but the unique qualities of   
the situation and the arguments of other Senshi have   
convinced me to at least hear this matter out."  
  
"I appreciate your willingness to listen, King   
Endymion," said Saturn, controlling her surprise at the   
fact that another Senshi had spoken on both her and   
Jadeite's behalf. It could not have been Mars, she   
imagined, which left either the Queen, who she imagined was   
possibly behind it, or Sailor Venus. Venus seemed the more   
likely one to have spoken on their behalf, since the Queen   
knew little about the situation as of yet. After a short   
pause to analyze the possibilities, she spoke. She had   
known for some time what she was going to say here, and so   
she needed no preparation to begin.  
  
"Jadeite was still imprisoned in crystal when I found   
him several months ago at the request of Sailor Pluto. Our   
reasons for doing so are, admittedly, rather hard to   
discern, but it was a decision that we made with the belief   
that there would be no risk involved. After I freed him   
from the stasis in which Queen Beryl had placed him for   
failing to take your lives, I kept watch on him. Even now,   
I continue to keep him under my supervision." Saturn's   
words drew the attention of all those who were present with   
little difficulty and it became apparent to Jadeite that   
she was capable of being quite a speaker when she wanted   
to. In fact, he admired the way that she defeated her   
natural shyness to speak in that way.  
  
"It was Jadeite's decision to come to this place, and   
I have supported him in it, as has Sailor Pluto. His   
reasons for being here, however, are better explained by   
himself, rather than by me. I ask that you lend your ears   
to him and consider what he has to say in a serious   
manner." Overall it sounded very proper and considerate,   
Saturn decided, and she was proud of herself for being able   
to speak as well as she had. Though Jadeite did not know,   
she had never before directly addressed the King and Queen   
in a formal situation, despite having talked to both them   
and their daughter in relaxed situations many times.  
  
"We will both listen to what he has to say. Have no   
fear, Hotaru-chan," spoke Neo-Queen Serenity, seemingly   
cutting off whatever the King was about to say. A soft   
smile was given to her husband though to console him at her   
apparent overruling of whatever he had meant to say, and it   
apparently succeeded, as he did little beyond shifting so   
that he could rest his chin in the palm of his hand. "Go   
ahead and speak, Jadeite," she said, turning her eyes back   
to him.  
  
"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Jadeite as he offered   
another bow. He momentarily found himself irritated that he   
had gotten no chance to change into the more formal wear   
he'd been given as a present by Hotaru before they went to   
the Moon. The unexpected acceleration of their schedule,   
however, had allowed him no time to change into the higher   
quality outfit, though, and it left him in a simple white   
T-shirt and jeans to address the rulers of the entire Shin-  
Muun Kingdom. If it weren't so serious a situation, he'd   
have laughed at the idea for quite some time. His wandering   
thoughts were put to rest, though, when he rose up from his   
bow and collected himself. Like Saturn, he had prepared for   
some time the words he would use to address the King and   
Queen, but unfortunately they were still hard to make sound   
right. Regardless, he was refined and intelligent enough to   
know that hesitating would make things more difficult.  
  
"To lose track of time is an unsettling experience,   
to say the least," Jadeite began, looking up towards the   
King and Queen with steady, steel gray eyes. "It was quite   
difficult to fully comprehend all the time that had passed   
when I was awakened by Sailor Saturn, for when she finally   
explained the recent history of the Earth and the Moon, and   
when things had been worked out, I found that I had been   
without contact with anything in the world for well over   
fifteen hundred years. For all that time, I had been   
imprisoned in a crystalline hell thanks to Queen Beryl, who   
took offense at my failure to defeat you."  
  
"Fifteen hundred years is a long time to have only   
your own thoughts to keep you company, and certainly enough   
to drive a normal man insane." The thought of spending time   
frozen in cold darkness was one with which all those   
present could sympathize with, but fifteen hundred years   
was far longer than they had spent frozen during the   
Silence. The idea was sufficient to make even the King   
shudder, if only slightly. Jadeite only paused for a moment   
before continuing, though. "That is all I am now; a normal,   
human man. I am not a King of the Dark Kingdom, and I have   
no Youma blood infecting my body anymore. All that time has   
allowed me to think and to look back on the events that led   
to the fall of the Silver Millennium, and the part I played   
in it."  
  
"Most of all, I apologize to you, those to whom my   
loyalty was owed and from whom never should have shifted   
away from, my King Endymion." It had taken a few moments   
for Jadeite to bring up the force of will to get the words   
out of his mind and into his mouth, but once he spoke them,   
he felt immensely better. The rest of his words began to   
come out with ease that he had to fight to keep them   
controlled. "To your beloved, also, I owe my apology, and   
all the other Sailor Senshi, whose deaths were the result   
of my failure. It was my responsibility to protect the   
interests of the Earth, and the King, yet I allowed myself   
to be drawn to the promises of things that were too good to   
be true. I can only hope that you will believe me when I   
say that I seek your forgiveness and that I do not wish to   
ever find myself in conflict with any of you again."  
  
Finally, Jadeite was able to pause and take in a deep   
breath. For a moment, his thoughts had been temporarily   
spent. It had taken a great deal of effort to speak even   
after he'd been able to freely let his words go, and it   
only really hit him then that he should pause. However, he   
wasn't done yet. There was still one more matter he had to   
address before he could allow them to speak again.   
Thankfully, they all seemed to be surprised by his words,   
which seemed to have been totally unexpected. He found the   
King looking at him with an unusual expression that seemed   
to combine a hint of suspicion with surprise and almost   
relief. The Queen held an air of compassion about her that,   
when he considered it, seemed very similar to that which   
her mother had possessed. Sailor Mars seemed to be in more   
of a state of outright disbelief and shock than anything   
else, while Venus allowed herself a faint smile. Perhaps   
she'd expected it. Jadeite allowed himself a quick   
speculation that perhaps she had learned something about   
Jadeite during the times she'd spoken with Kunzite long   
ago, though it surprised him that she might remember them   
after all the time that had passed.  
  
"To make up for my actions in the past, I wish to   
once again take the rank of a Guardian of the Earth and   
protector of the King. I have several reasons for   
requesting this, but most importantly it is from a sense of   
duty and a desire to repair my mistakes so that such a   
thing can never happen again. I ask that you please grant   
me this one request." Jadeite fixed his eyes on King   
Endymion as he spoke those last words, matching steel gray   
to light blue in a moment that he hoped could convey the   
genuine desire to redeem himself. Beyond that, though, he   
could only wait and see what the response was.  
  
"The last time I saw you I was fighting for my life,"   
said King Endymion after several long, tense moments during   
which the silence hung so heavily in the room that it   
seemed it might freeze everyone permanently. "You were not   
always like that though, which is a fact I will concede to   
you. You have to understand, though, that this entire   
situation is one that comes as quite a surprise. I want to   
trust you, quite truthfully, but I can not be certain that   
my trust will not be misplaced as it turned out to be in   
the past. What guarantee do I have that such a thing will   
not happen again beyond your word?"  
  
"Only that I have not yet sought to do anything   
harmful. I can give you no guarantee beyond that of my   
actions in the future," responded Jadeite, his shoulders   
lowering slightly. The tone of the King's voice was one   
that he remembered as being the kind that typically led to   
a denial on condition of circumstances with which he did   
not agree, but knew necessitated the response.   
  
"I have watched him now for these several months, and   
I have not known him to do anything that would put him in   
doubt, Your Majesty," spoke Saturn before the King or   
Jadeite could say anything else. She possessed a strong   
talent for putting her words in at just the right moment to   
keep them from being awkward while having the most effect   
from the context of the conversation, and it was a skill   
that she would probably need in the future.   
  
"I do not doubt that you regret your past," said the   
King, who sighed quietly before continuing. "The problem   
lies in the fact that I have no way of being sure that you   
will be completely loyal and unable to be turned away from   
the side of which you choose to be a part." He shook his   
head slightly as he spoke, for he did want to believe and   
accept Jadeite's words as truth. He could not let such a   
potentially great risk be allowed in the Shin-Muun Kingdom,   
however.   
  
"I understand, Your Majesty," Jadeite replied,   
lowering his gaze ever so slightly. Despite the motion, he   
managed to retain his proud stance and let his shoulders   
settle back so that he appeared upright and strong. The   
rejection that he knew was coming, though, was more painful   
than he could possibly hide completely. Then, he raised his   
gaze again as Pluto's words came to his mind again,   
reminding him that he couldn't allow himself to fail. "I   
would ask that you provide me a chance to prove myself,   
then. It is of infinite importance that I succeed and once   
more take that position."  
  
"You propose a test?" asked the King, shifting from   
his throne to his feet. "Have you anything in mind?" If a   
solid way of proving Jadeite's intentions could be found,   
then the situation would turn out far superior to the   
current probably resolution, but Endymion couldn't think of   
any possible ways to test him off the top of his head.   
Perhaps the Neo-Queen or some of the other Senshi would   
have an idea. Then, an idea struck him, causing him to look   
over to his wife. "Do you know where Elios is, Usa-ko?"  
  
"You needn't ask me, Mamo-chan," replied the Queen,   
smiling to her husband before turning and directing his   
gaze towards the double doors at the opposite end of the   
throne room. The King's gaze followed her own, and he   
allowed himself a sigh of relief at the figure that greeted   
his gaze.   
  
Through the doorway came a short, slender figure of a   
man with short but flowing hair of a soft white shade that   
seemed to hold the faintest pale blue highlights. He wore a   
simple but elegant, long-sleeved outfit of white that was   
decorated with a series of five tassels on the chest and   
highlights of a dark green shade. His features were smooth   
and angular, with an almost fox-like quality to them that   
made him rather beautiful in his own way. The effect was   
enhanced by his oddly colored golden eyes, which even then   
met those of King Endymion.  
  
"King Endymion, there should be no need to think of a   
trial for Jadeite," spoke the new arrival, his soft voice   
filling the hall easily. "As I'm sure he also knows, the   
act of becoming a Guardian of the Earth is a trial in   
itself. I suspect he didn't want to mention that since it   
would seem as though he were trying to trick you into   
giving him the position."   
  
"If that is the case, then we should be able to   
proceed with it. It will give him the chance he needs to   
prove himself that he wants, and it will provide us with   
the truth, whichever way it turns out. I assume that you   
have to oversee the trial and ceremony, Elios?" King   
Endymion did not question Elios on whether he was certain   
of the nature of the trial or not, for he knew that he was   
the High Priest of the Earth, putting such things within   
the realm of his knowledge.   
  
"As I did in the past, yes, it is my duty to oversee   
the ceremony, though you will have to complete it. I will   
speak with you about it as soon as you like. Jadeite   
already knows the procedures, since he has gone through it   
once before." No one questioned how Elios knew that Jadeite   
was there, either. His powers put him in a close bond with   
those who had been touched by the power of the Kinzuishou,   
the Golden Crystal. Guardians of the Earth were given their   
more unique powers and knowledge from that crystal, and as   
such Jadeite had been left with its signature upon his soul   
even through all his time in the Dark Kingdom.  
  
"How long will it take to prepare?" asked Endymion,   
stepping down to meet Elios as he neared the base of the   
throne platform.  
  
"About a day," said Jadeite, speaking again for the   
first time in several long minutes. "It would only take   
half a day if we rushed, but it'd be easier to take it   
slowly." Endymion was slightly surprised at Jadeite's   
sudden words, but the calm expression on Elios face made   
him believe that Elios had expected the response to not   
come from himself.   
  
"There you have it, Your Majesty. I would recommend   
allowing him to get some rest tonight, so that he will be   
able to get ready properly in the morning," said Elios,   
offering a soft, warm smile. "It will take us some time to   
prepare you for your part in the ceremony, so I suggest you   
also get some rest. I do have a matter I'd like to discuss   
with you before you go, though. It's one I'd prefer to   
discuss alone with you."   
  
"If that's what you think, then I will agree to it.   
Feel free to come with me to the recreation room on the   
next floor. We can talk there." The King turned and began   
to head for a door hidden behind the massive row of pillars   
on the side of the room, pausing a moment before he opened   
it and disappeared beyond. "You shall have your wish,   
Jadeite, and know that I have at least for the moment given   
you my forgiveness."  
  
"He's not such a bad fellow, is he," said Elios, who   
still stood near Saturn and Jadeite. His eyes turned away   
from the retreating King to sweep over the Queen and the   
two Senshi that stood next to her, before finally resting   
on the pair next to him. "I'm sure you'll come out just   
fine tomorrow, Jadeite. I'd say not to make the same   
mistakes you did last time, but it's always different each   
time the trial is conducted. Now, wish me luck." In a   
commentary of reassurance, the final short note caught   
Jadeite by surprise.  
  
"Good luck, Elios. I'm sure he won't say no," said   
Saturn, smiling to him, then giving a sidelong glance at   
Jadeite. "Just wish him luck. I'll explain it to you while   
I escort you back to the hotel."  
  
"Usagi, I think someone should at least keep an eye   
on him," said Mars quietly, leaning towards the Queen as   
Jadeite gave the quiet affirmation to Elios, who moved off   
to join the King. Mars had been quiet throughout most of   
the exchange, having at first not believed that Jadeite   
could have been telling the truth as he spoke. As he had   
gone on, though, she knew what he was saying had to be   
true. Distant memories of the blond Guardian of the Earth   
spoke of his original nature, and she found she couldn't   
keep herself angry with him any longer. Instead, she felt   
an understandable, distant disappointment and a strange   
sorrow.   
  
"Hotaru seems to be keeping a very close eye on him,"   
said Venus, giving a knowing grin in the Queen's direction.   
"Don't worry, Rei. She won't let him cause any trouble."   
The tone of her voice switched from slightly teasing to   
calm and reassuring as she looked towards Mars.   
  
"You should have been able to tell just by looking at   
him, of all people," said the Queen, looking towards Mars   
as well. "His eyes were sincere. Now, it's getting to be   
time to eat something for dinner. I'm sure they've made   
something good in the dining hall, so why don't you both   
come with me and have dinner."   
  
"I should have known this would all come down to   
food," said Mars, sticking her tongue out at Usagi. Even   
though they were hundreds of years old, they still had the   
same spirits they'd possessed in their younger years. While   
not quite as jumpy and erratic as they'd been, they   
occasionally were still prone to a bit of silliness and   
teasing. However, it was always in good spirit, for they   
were, after all the battles and close encounters they'd   
had, a group like sisters.   
  
"Oh, quiet. It's time to eat dinner! Come on, and   
let's go," said Usagi, giving a mock glare towards Rei as   
she headed towards the same door that the King and Elios   
had gone through. With Venus and Mars beside her, soon it   
was just Jadeite and Saturn in the massive throne hall,   
along with the guards. Jadeite and Hotaru hadn't heard the   
majority of what had gone on between the three women on the   
throne platform, instead having been starting on their way   
out. The length of the hall ensured that they were the last   
ones to leave.  
  
"You've got your wish now, Jadeite," said Hotaru as   
they neared the double doors. It had been perilously close,   
but Jadeite had been given the chance he'd sought in the   
end and that meant that he would soon likely claim the   
title of a Guardian of the Earth once again. "Would you   
like to stop and eat something on the way back to   
celebrate?"  
  
"I haven't made it through the trial yet," Jadeite   
responded, smiling faintly. "It will be a hard test, and   
while I'm sure I'll succeed, I don't want to be jubilant   
until after its official. However, if you would still like   
to eat dinner, then I am not averse to going along with the   
idea."  
  
"Good, because you didn't have a choice anyway," said   
Hotaru, smiling towards him as they passed through the   
foyer, past the gates, and out into the evening air of Moon   
Palace City. The Earth hung on the horizon, much like the   
Moon appeared from the Earth, though greatly larger, and   
the stars could be seen glowing like a million fireflies in   
the night sky. It seemed that the day, which had grown   
tumultuous and chaotic, would be saved by the night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Time passed, and once more the sun's light   
illuminated Moon Palace City with its gentle touch. The sun   
journeyed through the sky, heralding the time until finally   
it reached a low point on the horizon at about noon. The   
position of the moon made the sun highest closer to ten in   
the morning and four in the afternoon rather than noon,   
hitting a low point in between before rising up and then   
sinking back down again at nightfall.  
  
To suit its needs, Moon Palace City was active   
without fail, people working at all hours and arranging   
their sleep and recreational schedules around their   
occupations. At all hours, one could find people wandering   
the streets or shopping, with most of the businesses open   
for business and ready to serve their customers' needs.   
Jadeite found it particularly impressive that there was no   
drop off at all in the percentage of people working at any   
given time, a fact he attributed to the fact that people   
came from all over the Earth to the Moon, despite always   
leaving from Tokyo. It provided them a much more natural   
schedule to adhere to.  
  
The process of preparing for the Trial of the   
Guardians was more a mental feat than anything else, which   
led to Jadeite's decision to look out of the clear crystal   
window of his hotel room to watch the bustling city below.   
The people lived a variety of lives, following paths that   
they had chosen without any pressure from the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom that in turn gave them unparalleled chances at   
happiness. Even the waitress at the restaurant he had dined   
at the previous evening with Hotaru had seemed content in   
her position, and had been happy to explain that she used   
the money she made there to help pay for her education.  
  
The memory of dinner made his mind stray from his   
current observation of the city, his thoughts focusing on   
the image of Hotaru sitting across from him in the dimly   
lit restaurant. It had mainly been a quiet experience, but   
it had been more comfortable than he could remember being   
since he'd gotten to the Moon. The thought drew a quiet   
laugh from him, as he realized that he'd not even been on   
the Moon more than a day, but he admitted to himself that   
it had seemed to be considerably longer with the conflict   
interlaced throughout his brief visit. Regardless, the   
dinner had been a welcome respite from the general chaos of   
the day, and he had even been able to talk to her, though   
it was not particularly long in duration, given their   
dispositions towards silence. What their conversations had   
lacked in length they made up in depth, however, and he   
found it surprising that he was able to talk as freely with   
her as he was able to.  
  
Jadeite scolded himself slightly when he realized   
that he'd let his thoughts drift, for he remembered well   
that the Trial of the Guardians required explicit mental   
clarity about several details. A person who was going to   
take the trial was required to have the utmost   
concentration and focus when they began the process, but   
almost more importantly the person had to have a clear   
image in their mind of what they were trying to obtain the   
title of a Guardian of the Earth in order to do. If the   
reason for their seeking the position was pure and noble,   
and they were able to pass the physical and mental tests,   
then they would be granted the full power and   
responsibility. If the reason was not focused in their   
mind, or worse yet, harmful to the Earth and the King, then   
they would find themselves in a coma for the remainder of   
their natural life.   
  
Jadeite's line of thought had put him in to a serious   
quandary without warning, he discovered. He sought to be a   
Guardian of the Earth at first to reclaim the strength and   
moral righteousness inherent to the position, as well as   
the opportunity to counteract his dark past, but he   
suddenly realized that those were not the only reasons he   
wanted to be a Guardian. Hotaru had seemed so happy for him   
when they were at dinner, going so far as to tell him that   
she felt almost as though it had been herself on the line   
as well, despite the knowledge that his failure to get the   
chance would not have harmed her in any way. Could it have   
been possible that he wanted to succeed to prove to her   
that he hadn't been freed to no good, or was it that   
growing idea in his mind that he wanted to succeed simply   
because it would bring a smile to her face?  
  
With all his mind, Jadeite wished that it could just   
be his original reasons that were driving him. He had spent   
all his time preparing with that focus in mind, but it was   
quite possible that he'd made an error in what he was   
solidifying in his thoughts as his motivation by not   
including that simple idea of succeeding to please Hotaru.   
With part of the preparation ensuring that you had your   
mind fully focused on the reason you sought the title of   
Guardian of the Earth, it was necessary to make sure that   
it was the only thought in one's mind when they went to   
take the actual trial, so that there was no confusion   
during the process.   
  
It occurred to Jadeite, as he turned and took notice   
of the clock on the wall, that it was too late for him to   
try and correct his thoughts in any way. They were going to   
most likely be stuck in the same place they were, meaning   
that it would possibly be very difficult to pass the trial.   
Regardless of the possible difficulty, though, he knew he   
had to try and pass it, since if he didn't, he'd not be   
able to accomplish any of the things he'd set out to do.   
All he could do at that point was get ready to go and be on   
his way. The outfit he'd been given by Hotaru and her   
father was at least fitting for the occasion, he decided,   
with its color so similar to his old Dark Kingdom clothing,   
though a shade darker and given a hint of more light by the   
silver cords and tassels that adorned each shoulder.   
  
Dressed and firm of mind and heart despite his   
concerns, Jadeite stepped out from his room at the hotel   
and began his journey to the Moon Palace, where he would   
meet Endymion and Elios once again. Once they were   
organized, they were to travel from the palace to a remote   
location on the Moon so that they could begin the trial's   
process, and once the final preparations were complete,   
they would run the trial itself. Jadeite could only hope   
that he hadn't destroyed his sense of intent by dividing it   
as he had.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Moon had, over time, been able to develop its own   
atmosphere thanks to the powers of the Ginzuishou. It had   
been deemed necessary that the satellite have air that   
could be safely breathed so that the entire surface could   
be used if necessary. In addition to that, they had   
considered and decided, once more through the power of the   
Ginzuishou, to provide the Moon with the feel of Earth's   
gravity, so that people who traveled between the two would   
not have to adapt to such severely different sensations.   
  
The changes in atmosphere had also allowed for the   
Moon to develop its own plant life that, while similar to   
what was on Earth, held its own unique traits. Trees were   
scarce on the Moon, and in general the main life consisted   
of pale blue moss that covered most of the surface. Grass   
tended to grow on the borders of the Moon's lakes, which   
had filled with water on the revival of the Moon. It was   
around the lakes that most of the other settlements on the   
Moon were placed, since most of the people held a fondness   
for the grass that grew there and provided a reminder of   
the Earth.  
  
After meeting at the Moon Palace, the trio consisting   
of Jadeite, King Endymion, and Elios had left that place   
for the shores of one of the Moon's lakes. They had arrived   
not long ago, and were at last free to prepare the final   
few details of the Trial of the Guardians before proceeding   
with the actual process. It was only those three who were   
able to be present, with Hotaru, Minako, Usagi, and Rei   
remaining behind out of respect for the fact that it was a   
sacred ritual of the Earth not seen in well over two   
thousand years. Sailor Pluto, Setsuna Meiou to those who   
knew her outside of her Senshi form, had in the end been   
the one to convince the others that they should not attend.   
She knew more about the actual trial than any of the other   
Senshi, and had explained that it would be virtually   
pointless for them to go along for a variety of reasons   
that included mainly the fact that for most of the trial   
two if not all three of those involved wouldn't even be   
doing anything.   
  
"King Endymion, you remember your part in the trial,   
correct?" asked Elios, who stood before the forms of the   
King and Jadeite, both of whom were standing with their   
arms at their sides. Truthfully, it was a very nostalgic   
image to Elios, who was able to match it to the same sort   
of occasion so long ago.   
  
"I will be ready. It doesn't seem to be too difficult   
a task," responded the King, his form unwavering as he   
spoke. His part in the trial was comparatively small next   
to those of Elios and Jadeite, but it was integral to the   
process, which could not go on without his participation.   
  
"It will be somewhat more tiring than it sounds, but   
I am sure you will have no trouble with it," said Elios,   
smiling in a reassuring manner. "What of you, Jadeite? Are   
you ready for the trial?" The odd, golden shaded eyes   
shifted their focus to the blond former King of the Dark   
Kingdom and former Guardian of the Earth, where they met   
his gray eyes.  
  
"As much is possible, I am prepared, yes," responded   
Jadeite. "Will it make a difference that we're on the Moon   
for this?" he then asked. The question had occurred to him   
on his way to the Moon Palace, but only know had he   
remembered to ask due to his constant consideration of his   
dual goals in seeking the position once again.   
  
"Truthfully, though you won't remember it, the   
majority of the trial itself will take place in Elysium.   
That has always been the case, whether the trial is done on   
the Earth or whether we do it elsewhere in the Solar   
System. There was only one recorded occasion of the trial   
being done on another planet, but it worked without   
difficulty there on Venus." Once more Jadeite was reminded   
of Elios' impressive knowledge of the various trials and   
old rites of the Earth Kingdom, which he found surprisingly   
relieving.  
  
"I apologize for asking. I should have known you'd   
have already considered that," responded Jadeite, bowing   
his head slightly.  
  
"Do not worry about it. It has been a long time since   
we last saw one another, and I think the time can take the   
blame for you not remembering everything with perfect   
clarity." Elios then turned to look at both of the men at   
the same time. "Now, shall we begin the process?"  
  
"I am ready, Elios," said King Endymion, who moved to   
seat himself on the soft grassy shore of the lake in a   
traditional manner, his legs folded beneath him and serving   
as a sort of seat.  
  
"So shall it be," spoke Jadeite, confirming his   
readiness for the trial as he sat down in a position to   
match the King. "At your word, Elios."  
  
"Good luck, Jadeite," responded Elios calmly, before   
he closed his eyes and held his hands together before him.   
Each index finger rose from his clasped hands, one bent to   
touch the middle of the other. His brows furrowed then, and   
his expression became one of concentration as he began to   
focus the energies needed for the trial. Jadeite and   
Endymion followed suit by closing their eyes as well, an   
act that was necessary it seemed, for soon, there was a   
distinct golden globe of light that flashed out from   
Elios' fingertips to envelop the trio.   
  
Jadeite found himself dealing well with the sense of   
uneasiness in his stomach that suddenly swept over him, and   
found himself surprisingly pleased that neither he nor   
Endymion seemed to have any major trouble with the   
sensation. Then, as he knew it would, Jadeite found the   
world changed completely. He couldn't remember opening his   
eyes, but he knew that in all likelihood he hadn't done so.   
From past experience, he knew what to expect at that   
moment, and he was not disappointed when once more vision   
came to him.  
  
White, green, and blue filled the world around   
Jadeite, and though he knew what was coming, he still found   
himself slightly awestruck by the archaic beauty of his   
surroundings. Amidst a massive forest of vibrant green that   
stretched on for lengths that Jadeite figured were beyond   
simple comprehension, he stood on a floor of white stone   
that he assumed to be either an odd form of granite or a   
high grade limestone. Rising up before him was the central   
structure of the clearing, its surface surprisingly well   
polished and in good condition when one noted the lack of   
people in the place.   
  
The building before him was a simple temple that was   
reminiscent of ancient Greek structures such as the   
Parthenon, with its columns providing the 'walls' of the   
structure, shaped as a hexagon. A second structure adorned   
its roof, tall and rectangular in nature with no roof to   
speak of and a raised platform at its base. Each of the   
corners also had projections, which almost seemed to be   
observation points, with single columns rising up to   
support them. There were many more similar but much more   
simple structures about the clearing as well, but none were   
as commanding as the one before him.   
  
"This will be one of the places you'll have to   
protect, but you already know that," came the voice of   
Elios' from within the structure before Jadeite. "In fact,   
you are unique in your situation. No one has ever taken   
this trial twice in the entire history of the Earth." Soon,   
Jadeite could see the form of the High Priest of the Golden   
Kingdom stepping forth from the shadows of the building,   
his eyes focused on Jadeite in a critical manner.   
  
"It's an honor that I have mixed feelings in   
accepting," said Jadeite, standing with his arms at his   
sides as he watched Elios in return. "I'm grateful for   
being given this second chance, but I wish it'd never been   
necessary in the first place." It wasn't something he'd   
planned on having happen to him when he took the trial for   
the first time those many years ago. He'd gone into it with   
pure intent and a strong sense of pride. Unfortunately,   
that pride had been his downfall in the end.   
  
"Yet you must have some strong reason for wishing to   
go through this ordeal again. Why are you doing this? You   
could have simply led a quiet life upon receiving your   
freedom from the past." It was the first part, the current   
part, which would be the most difficult for Jadeite, but he   
knew he had to respond to Elios as truthfully as possible,   
for the High Priest was empowered by the trial with  
perception that exceeded his already formidable powers of   
sensing motives and truths in people he spoke to.  
  
"There is no simple answer, I'm afraid," spoke   
Jadeite after a momentary silence. "At first, I believed   
that my only desire was to simply find a way to give back   
as much as I could of what I was responsible for being   
lost. I have never lost my sense of pride, though it has   
been wounded grievously by my failures, and that demands   
that I redeem myself in the eyes of those who I served and   
protected. To succeed would allow me to once more serve the   
greater good, and now I feel that there is another reason   
besides those that I once more am willing to go through   
this."   
  
"And what is that reason?" asked Elios when Jadeite   
fell silent suddenly. There was almost a faint smile on his   
face as he asked that, but he knew Jadeite would be too   
lost in his own response to notice it.  
  
"Hotaru, Sailor Saturn, freed me from a nightmare I   
thought wasn't ever going to end. She's given me the chance   
to even walk on the Earth's surface again, and by virtue of   
that, she's why I'm here now. If I failed, I would feel   
that I've disappointed her, or worse, made her feel that   
there was no reason to have freed me, and that it was   
wasted effort."   
  
"Very well then," said Elios almost immediately after   
Jadeite had finished speaking. "Let us continue with the   
trial. Since it's been so long since a trial has been done,   
I decided to change it a little bit. Recite to me the base   
principles of the arcane arts from their original   
transcripts in the order which they were discovered, if you   
please."  
  
"What?" responded Jadeite, staring at Elios as if   
he'd gone quite mad. The arcane arts that were known to all   
the Guardians of the Earth had been discovered early in the   
Silver Millennium, and while they were expected to be known   
they were exceedingly long. It had taken Jadeite the better   
part of a year to memorize the full writings, which were   
well over five hundred hand-written pages if one didn't add   
in their various diagrams and appendixes.   
  
"Sorry, just kidding. I haven't done this in a very   
long time, and believe it or not, it's a rather satisfying   
experience. It's been far to long since we've had a   
Guardian of the Earth. However, I haven't lied about   
changing the trial slightly." Elios paused for a moment   
before elaborating, tugging his shirt down snugly into   
place before continuing. "I know you have the knowledge of   
all our magic still in your mind, even if it's locked away   
still. The end of the trial will most assuredly unlock   
that, and you were always known for your skill in that   
area. Your power, too, was without question, and your   
abilities to think in a fight were proven at least twice in   
the last month."   
  
"What is it you mean then?" asked Jadeite, trying to   
comprehend the sudden turn of events. He didn't know how   
Elios had learned about both of his fights, for while the   
battle against Sailor Venus had been common knowledge his   
participation in the battle with the youma had been secret.   
  
"You will be taking only the two final parts of the   
trial, Jadeite. You have no need to take the other parts,   
since your skill in those sections has been proven time and   
time again. This means you will be going to the crucible   
now. Are you prepared for what that entails?"   
  
"I'd like just a couple of minutes to prepare myself,   
if that's to be the case. I appreciate your considerations,   
though, Elios. Thank you." Jadeite would never forget the   
crucible, for it was the most difficult part of the trial   
and also the most important. The first time he'd faced that   
part of the trial he'd nearly lost his life in battle with   
an old neighboring star system's warriors to save the then-  
prince Endymion. Of course, it had all been a staged act,   
specially arranged due to Jadeite's abilities to see   
through illusions.   
  
"All right. I'll be waiting for you inside the   
temple. Let me know when you're ready. So you know, the   
illusion will be strong enough to defeat your senses this   
time. Your powers were enhanced by the Earth, and since you   
don't have that right now and we're operating from the   
Moon, you won't be able to tell."  
  
"I thought you said the Moon wouldn't make a   
difference," said Jadeite, looking to the retreating form   
of Elios.  
  
"I did, didn't I? We all make mistakes." Sometimes,   
though, Jadeite suspected they were made on purpose, and   
Elios' casual response did nothing to dispel that theory.  
  
To Jadeite, though, it really didn't matter in the   
end. He was going to have to face the last part of the   
trial regardless of the circumstances and succeed in spite   
of them. In all his time, he hadn't worked out the exact   
way the crucible actually worked, and that made it an   
unknown factor. He was accustomed to dealing with such   
things, but he did find it somewhat unsettling that he had   
almost no idea at all what he would face. Finally, he rose   
up and turned, heading for the form of Elios within the   
temple.  
  
"I am prepared. Begin as you will."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jadeite woke up to find himself in pain. It was   
becoming all to familiar an occurrence for him, he noted,   
though it was not nearly as severe as most of his other   
recent conflicts had been. Where before he'd had an   
unpleasant tendency to be injured very specifically and   
with great amounts of pain, it was more comparable to dull   
aches that simply wouldn't release their hold on his body.   
Gathering his bearings, he shot up quickly, fractured   
images of the last few hours invading his mind.   
  
Hotaru's face was twisted into a scream that did not   
suit her, and she was shielding the fallen form of the   
King. Jadeite then saw the form of Queen Beryl, her hand   
held out to him. He could remember seeing a silver object   
laying on the floor, light gleaming off a long blade, and   
then he could remember the sensation of pain as he was   
stricken by dark energy, a sword in his hand warding off   
part of a great blast. The last image he could recall was   
his dragging the forms of both Hotaru and the King away as   
everything was enveloped in flame.  
  
Jadeite's vision cleared then, and he saw the forms   
of Elios and Endymion kneeling on either side of him, their   
eyes focused on him intently. It was an odd sight that made   
him almost thing he was back in the Silver Millennium, the   
time when he'd first woken up to a sight such as that in   
his trial. Still, there was an unmistakable smile on   
Elios' face, and a slightly surprised expression on   
Endymion's.   
  
"There's only one part left, Jadeite," said Elios as   
he helped Jadeite to his feet along with Endymion. "The   
last test of your skill, and the only one we need to   
perform." As soon as the slightly weary blond was on his   
feet, he felt something pressed into his hand. Looking   
down, he saw that it was a sword that was distinctly   
familiar to him. Forged of silver, every portion of the   
weapon down to the hilt and guard were polished and   
gleaming in the light of the sun above.  
  
"I'm told this is normally a little different, but   
I'll give it my best," said Endymion, holding a matching   
sword in hand. "You're tired, I know, but I expect you'll   
give this your best effort. Do well, and the trial shall be   
over." Stepping back a short distance, the King raised his   
sword and let the light gleam on its edge.  
  
"As you wish, my King," said Jadeite, mirroring the   
posture with his own raised sword. "Flat of blade, I   
assume?" He tried hard to keep his voice steady, but the   
words of the King could only make him assume that he'd   
succeeded, and that was an idea that he could scarcely put   
down his joy at the thought of.  
  
"On your life, Jadeite," responded Endymion, who then   
lunged forward. Jadeite's blade deflected the thrust and   
came up in a sweep towards Endymion, who drew back to parry   
the attack. The clearing echoed with the ring of blades   
then, their blades gleaming in the sunlight as the King and   
Jadeite exchanged strikes for a period of time that seemed   
to last forever.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The day after the trial had been completed was for   
many in Moon Palace City was one like every other. For   
Jadeite, though, it was much like beginning a new life.   
Soon after the finishing of the last part of his trial,   
Elios had allowed Endymion to perform his part in the   
trial. A finalizing of ceremony more than anything else,   
the King had been walked through his part and, through the   
power of the Kinzuishou, he had given Jadeite his powers   
and title back.   
  
With the trial finished, Elios had returned them to   
the Moon, where they found themselves in the same positions   
they'd been in when they left. Try as he might, Jadeite   
could not recall any of the crucible portion of the trial   
beyond those shattered few images he'd had when he awakened   
from it. It surprised him that he'd succeeded with the   
answers he'd given, and Elios refused to explain the exact   
reasons that had allowed him to pass the test of intent.   
Endymion meanwhile had taken on a much friendlier attitude   
towards Jadeite, which he imagined was a result of his   
success.  
  
Once they'd returned to the Moon Palace, Jadeite was   
surprised to hear King Endymion announce a celebration was   
to be held on the coming Friday in honor of not only the   
first Guardian of the Earth to be announced in the Shin-  
Muun Kingdom, but also the occasion of Elios' engagement to   
Endymion's daughter, Chibi-Usa. A wave of surprise and   
excitement was the immediate result of that announcement,   
and it made it clear rather suddenly to Jadeite why Elios   
had asked to be wished luck several days before. He had   
been there to ask Chibi-Usa's father's blessing for the   
marriage, and had apparently been granted just that.   
  
Since he knew it would be next to impossible to   
escape attending the celebration, and that it would be a   
pleasant occasion to be a part of anyway, Jadeite had   
arranged to meet Hotaru there so that they would be able to   
see one another again. Since his becoming a Guardian of the   
Earth once more, Jadeite had found his immediate attention   
held by the sorting out of all his recovered powers and   
duties. Fortunately, he'd encountered a brilliant stroke of   
luck while doing so that would allow him a definite peace   
of mind in the future.   
  
For Hotaru, it had been a simple matter to give her   
consent to meeting Jadeite at the celebration ball. She had   
found herself hoping that she'd have the chance to see him   
again and that they wouldn't be separated by his achieving   
his goal, and therefore had welcomed the chance to attend   
with him. It was an easy matter for her to prepare, though   
she decided that she would take a great deal of time to   
ensure she was in top condition for the ball, even making   
sure that she'd have a new dress ready for the occasion. It   
wasn't a common thing for her to do, and she found herself   
wondering more than once why she was so intent on appearing   
beautiful for the occasion. The majority of the reasoning   
fell on her assumption that it was in honor of her friend   
Chibi-Usa's luck in finally being engaged, though she also   
found herself wondering often how Jadeite would regard her   
appearance.  
  
When the time for the ball finally arrived, Jadeite   
found himself amidst what must have been hundreds of people   
dressed in their finest dress clothing. The King and Neo-  
Queen always opened their celebrations to the public, which   
allowed the people to become closer to the rulers of the   
Shin-Muun Kingdom while also allowing them to more easily   
sense the mood of the people as a whole. Most of the Sailor   
Senshi were present as well, easily notable in their   
elegant dresses and with their arranged hairstyles. Jadeite   
was only able to count the missing as Sailor Pluto, who   
only rarely attended such occasions of that nature. He   
hadn't yet seen Hotaru either, though the throngs of people   
made it easy for her to have slipped by without his   
noticing.  
  
If he'd had the choice, Jadeite would have certainly   
spent his entire time searching for Hotaru, but he couldn't   
seem to avoid being pulled into chatting groups of people   
as he passed, many of whom wished to share a drink and   
congratulate the new Guardian of the Earth. The media,   
though certainly not on par with that on Earth, had made   
the entire Moon knowledgeable about his new position, as   
well as the new engagement of the royal daughter. It was   
only with considerable effort that he finally managed to   
pull himself away from the crowds and rest at the side of   
the room. It also gave him the chance to properly take in   
his surroundings, which he'd not been able to do amongst   
the throngs of people earlier.  
  
The celebration was being held in a large, open   
ballroom that was part of the Moon Palace. Like the rest of   
the building, it was forged of shimmering crystal, but   
rather than the typical blue hue, the area held a distinct   
golden shade that made it seem to be mixed with gold.   
Several crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, which   
was high and vaulted with stained glass skylights patterned   
along its ridge. A graceful staircase occupied the far end   
of the room, descending from both sides of the room to join   
into one wide, flared landing before forming a final   
stretch towards the ballroom's floor.   
  
While the room certainly had enough beauty on its   
own, there were also various decorations strung about that   
seemed to suit all of the different planets of the Solar   
System. Finely crafted ice sculptures were in place to   
honor Mercury, and golden tinsel was wrapped around columns   
that lined the ballroom. Sharing the space on the columns   
were vines of ivy that interlaced with the tinsel to honor   
Jupiter, and torches hung on the walls, flames dancing   
within them for Mars. The Outer Senshi were represented by   
varying tapestries on the walls to match their respective   
homes, each of the four pieces of art depicting their   
respective planets with stunning quality.  
  
Caught in his admiration of the ballroom's   
decoration, Jadeite almost missed the slight form of Hotaru   
moving among the crowds in a search for him. A gleam of   
light caught his attention, though, and he suddenly had a   
fleeting glimpse of her. He wasn't certain of what he'd   
seen, but he had to track her down both to find out and out   
of his obligation to meet her. Taking a sip of the glass of   
wine he'd acquired in his conversations, he began to move   
into the crowds once more. More than once he had to   
politely excuse himself as he maneuvered towards Hotaru.   
Thankfully, he had decided to set his glass down after that   
drink, so he wasn't able to spill the drink on himself   
during several small bumps with other guests at the   
celebration. When he finally reached her, he was forced to   
pause, and almost lost her amongst the crowd again.  
  
Hotaru's hair was the same as always, its black   
shoulder-length threads holding a distinct violet sheen to   
them. Dancing among the locks of hair were a pair of small   
earrings designed to match the appearance of her guardian   
planet, Saturn, complete with rings and slender teardrop   
shaped pieces below them. Her neck was wrapped with a thin   
band decorated by a silver starburst in front, the fabric a   
deep violet satin. It also appeared to be the same material   
of the dress she wore, which was an elegant design that   
left her shoulders bare, held up by a descending pair of   
straps wrapped around her neck and forming an 'x' in the   
front above her bust. A slender diamond shaped cutout   
separated the front of her dress, while the straps   
continued on to form the tops of what were the barely   
present sleeves. Those consisted mainly of gossamer leaf   
shaped petals that hung from the straps, their surfaces   
always holding a different hue depending on the way the   
light struck them. The skirt portion of the dress was very   
similar to the sailor fuku worn by the Senshi, but its   
material was the same violet satin that made the rest of   
the dress, and hung softly to swirl about the halfway point   
of her calves.   
  
Such was the sight that left Jadeite quite speechless   
and lost in his vision for several moments. Finally he   
recovered his wits and pursued the young woman, softly   
touching her shoulder when he caught up to her, a motion   
that caused her to turn and focus her beautiful violet eyes   
upon him.  
  
"Jadeite! I was trying to find you, but there are so   
many people I was beginning to think it was hopeless," she   
said, smiling to him. "Have you been enjoying the ball?"   
she then asked. She remained rather close to him, a fact   
that didn't go unnoticed by either of them. They found   
themselves unable to get any further apart, as well, due to   
the number of people within the ballroom.  
  
"It's been a whirlwind of discussions and meetings.   
The people of the Kingdom are very pleasant, but to be   
honest I'm beginning to wonder if I can stand another   
polite conversation," replied Jadeite, finding words once   
more. "I suspect it'd have been a bit easier if I'd found   
you sooner. However, I cannot say I mind finding you now.   
You are a very beautiful sight." It almost surprised him   
that he spoke such words, but it was a compliment well   
deserved, and so he felt secure and safe from any potential   
embarrassment at pointing it out.   
  
"Thank you," said Hotaru, and she couldn't help but   
blush slightly. It was an unusual reaction for her, and she   
did her best to hide it without seeming awkward. "You look   
very regal and handsome in your outfit as well." It was not   
a lie, for the blond Guardian of the Earth seemed to be   
well accustomed to wearing such ensembles.   
  
"I appreciate the compliment, Hotaru," he said. As he   
looked about, he began to notice the people in the ballroom   
slowly drifting into pairs or to the sides of the room. A   
group of musicians had also set themselves up near the   
stairway, and were preparing their instruments for use. "It   
seems that the time has come for the dancing. As there's no   
one else around, would you care to take a few moments to   
dance with me?"  
  
"I would be honored to take this dance with you,"   
said the young woman, offering her hands up to him so that   
they could prepare themselves for the dance. "I apologize   
in advance, though, as I've not had the chance to do this   
much in the past beyond a few times with my father."   
  
"Don't worry. I'm certain you'll be just fine, and   
I'll lead to make it simple. I have some experience in   
this, though it has been a long time," Jadeite responded,   
taking hold of one of her hands while letting the other   
rest on her shoulder. "We should be fine as long as we   
don't step on one another's feet," he then added, smiling   
softly towards her.  
  
It was then that the first song began, its gentle   
tune sweeping through the ballroom with a subtle,   
unyielding presence. Jadeite led off with the steps, and   
soon he and Hotaru found themselves slowly moving about the   
ballroom amidst the many other dancing pairs. It seemed all   
too soon that they had gone through several songs and the   
music came to a gentle halt that heralded the main event of   
the night.   
  
As the King and Neo-Queen spoke to the people of   
their daughter's new engagement from the landing of the   
great staircase, Jadeite and Hotaru took refuge at the side   
of the room next to one of the columns to observe and   
listen. Hotaru was rather excited to get the chance to see   
her old friend and Elios as they descended from the   
opposite sides of the stairs to meet in the middle.   
  
"In two months time, my daughter shall marry Elios.   
In all my years, this is one of the happiest moments of my   
life, and I can't begin to express my happiness for my   
daughter," came the voice of Neo-Queen Serenity as she   
stood behind the pair with her husband, King Endymion. "I   
hope that you all can be happy for them as well, since this   
is a truly wonderful occasion."  
  
"Has this been long in the making?" asked Jadeite   
quietly of Hotaru as he stood behind her.   
  
"Longer than I think either of them realize, though   
most of us imagined it would happen at some point,"   
answered Hotaru, leaning her head back slightly to look at   
the taller Jadeite. "They're good people, and deserve one   
another."  
  
"We'd like everyone to give them a chance to dance   
together for one song in honor of their new status, and we   
ask that you all enjoy the chance to watch them. Our   
daughter is an excellent dancer, and I have it on good   
authority that her soon to be groom is quite proficient as   
well." It was King Endymion speaking that time, and as he   
finished, Chibi-Usa and Elios began to descend the   
stairway. At the bottom, they paused and looked back to   
him, and he gave a slight nod. "Also, I would like to   
formally introduce the new Guardian of the Earth and my   
bodyguard, Jadeite." As he spoke, he extended his hand to   
gesture towards Jadeite, who lifted a hand in recognition   
of his being highlighted.   
  
"A man who has been around for many years, he is a   
strong and wise man who will be an invaluable member of the   
Kingdom. Treat him with respect, for he has earned it   
well," finished Endymion. Along with the Neo-Queen, he   
descended to the bottom of the stairway to stand next to   
Elios and Chibi-Usa, who advanced out onto the center of   
the ballroom's floor. The music picked up, and soon the two   
were slowly dancing about the room in a magnificent and   
sweeping act that enraptured the crowd present.   
  
"You see, Jadeite? It's things like this that you   
will live and fight to protect in the future," said Hotaru,   
leaning back to look at Jadeite once again. "Welcome to the   
Shin-Muun Kingdom." She was very glad for him, but she   
couldn't help but look down slightly at the thought of him   
living constantly on the Moon. It was, she assumed, one of   
his duties to stay near the King since he was also his   
Bodyguard, and it meant that she would not be able to see   
him very often, since she still lived with her father in   
Crystal Tokyo.  
  
"Thank you, Hotaru," said Jadeite in response. "I   
will do all I can to protect the Shin-Muun Kingdom and all   
those in it." He allowed himself a pause, lowering his hand   
to take her wrist and lift it slightly in a comforting   
gesture. "But I will be doing so from Crystal Tokyo. I am a   
Guardian of the Earth, and that is my place, as dictated by   
the King."  
  
"You'll be on Earth?" she responded, lifting her head   
once more and looking towards the still dancing pair in the   
center of the ballroom. She almost found herself doubting   
the possibility of something of that nature she hoped for   
being true.  
  
"I will. I still have many things to talk with you   
about, and I owe you for giving me all of this. It would do   
no good to be ever distant from one another if I intend to   
pay you back," he said, lowering his head slightly so that   
it was closer to her own. "King Endymion agreed when I   
asked for the chance to work from Earth, and so that is   
where I will be."  
  
"Thank you, Jadeite," was her only response. She knew   
it must have taken him effort to actually ask the King,   
even if he agreed without any difficulty, and she couldn't   
help but hope, in a small but ever growing part of her   
heart, that he had done it because he simply wished to be   
near her for her. 


	5. Elegy for the Heavens Chapter 5

Elegy for the Heavnes  
By Asura  
(Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com  
  
Well, finally the fifth chapter. It's taken me a bit   
longer than I expected it to in getting this done, but it's   
turned out all right, I think. I hope all of you who read   
it enjoy it and find the story compelling and worthy of   
reading. A lot is going on in this chapter, but I managed   
to fit it all in here without making the story expand any   
farther in overall number of chatpers, which is a good   
thing, I think. I'll hopefully have the sixth chapter   
finished a week from the time this one is uploaded, but I   
can't be sure, as I'm very busy doing some garage sale   
material and working so that I can pay to visit my   
girlfriend in a few weeks. Anyway, enough of my rambling.   
As you all know, the original Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon   
characters are owned by Naoko Takeuchi and Toei animation,   
who are hopefully investing in armor piercing autocannon   
rounds to deal with DiC and Cloverway, our 'beloved'   
American distributors of the Sailor Moon anime. Also, Mixx   
has the rights to the manga, for some reason. A quick   
thanks to my insanely overworked editor, as well, who will   
hopefully go over this sometime when he gets a chance. I   
really need to stop dumping all this writing on him. ^^;;;  
Also, I've uploaded a revision to chapter four, since I   
forgot my little top line blurb here for that one, which   
includes some important information about the ballroom   
scene.  
  
Chapter 5: Shizuka nai Hinansho: Rakuen ni Nemuru –   
Jadeite's Peace  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Moon Palace City was never a distant place to the   
people of Crystal Tokyo, who provided the majority of the   
supplies that were impossible to produce on the Moon, or   
which had been kept from being produced on its surface.   
Basic materials, such as appliances and even common day-to-  
day items were never manufactured on the Moon, which was   
for the most part devoid of any factories. Instead, the   
Moon was an odd mixture of agricultural mastery and   
technological research. While it was the most   
scientifically advanced place in the entire Solar System,   
it was also the least self-sufficient when it came to any   
functions beyond produce.  
  
Crystal Tokyo, to match Moon Palace City, was a   
center of shipping to the Moon, in addition to its function   
as the primary liftoff point for travelers going between   
the two cities. Shuttles regularly carried cargoes of   
basic items such as televisions, appliances, toiletries,   
and meats, in addition to more advanced materials such as   
computers and vehicles. The multitude of different trades   
and missions that originated from Crystal Tokyo, in fact,   
was surprising to Jadeite, who had learned from King   
Endymion their myriad nature only the day after the   
celebration.   
  
Hoisting his bags over his shoulder and holding on to   
those belonging to Hotaru Tomoe as well, Jadeite found   
himself standing in the concourse of Moon Palace City's   
spaceport. The crowded terminal was a loud affair, with   
people bustling about to collect their luggage or to ensure   
their tickets were ready, that threatened to defeat any   
possibility of Jadeite hearing any words from his current   
four companions. Fortunately, he found that he was at   
least able to weed out most of the interference through a   
bit of concentration, though it didn't do anything to   
dispel the sheer volume of the place.  
  
"I'm sorry that I can't talk to you both before you   
return to the Earth," said Setsuna Meiou, dressed in a   
simple dark green dress with white blouse that seemed   
appropriately formal for the situation. "Keep an eye out   
for anything unusual while you're there, though. I'll meet   
with you again as soon as I can, but Michiru said that she   
had some urgent matters to speak with me about, and I won't   
have time to talk with you before you leave. It's somewhat   
ironic that I, of all people, seem to be running short of   
time." A quiet, refined laugh followed her words, as she   
looked at both Hotaru and Jadeite with her cerise eyes.  
  
"You are a human, after all," spoke Minako Aino, who   
was dressed in a more fashionable white and orange dress   
for the occasion. "You can't be everywhere at once.   
Neither can I, unfortunately. I've got a circuit of   
performances beginning in the city tonight, and I just know   
it's going to be crazy making all the shows." The idol   
Senshi gave a smile, then, and held up a finger to accent   
her following words. "Not that I have a problem with that,   
mind you. I'll do whatever it takes to succeed. Oh, and   
now that I think of that, Mamoru wanted me to remind you to   
send him reports every other week, Jadeite."  
  
"I'm sure you'll manage just fine, Minako. After   
all, you've got a definite natural talent, and I'm sure   
that'll make you a star across the world soon." Hotaru   
spoke next, a long and slender, paper-wrapped package   
resting in her arms. "We'll be easy to reach, in case of   
any problems, otherwise. Jadeite should be able to use   
father's laboratory to send the necessary reports, since   
it's getting redone in the old Witches 5 section for both   
of our use."   
  
"Indeed, I've heard rumors that your performances are   
magnificent. I will have to drop by one of them the next   
time I'm on the Moon to see for myself," said Jadeite, who   
once more wore the elegant uniform he'd been given for his   
position as a Guardian of the Earth. "Setsuna, you will be   
able to relay my reports to King Endymion, correct? I would   
hate to put strain on your schedule, and I'm sure I can use   
normal channels of communication if necessary." Since he'd   
be communicating through the systems Hotaru would have, all   
his messages would actually go to the Crystal Watcher's   
Spire, and thus need to be relayed by Sailor Pluto to the   
King.  
  
"I'm sure things won't be so busy that I can't   
perform that simple task. You're being too polite,   
Jadeite." Setsuna gave a soft smile as she spoke, and then   
looked over to Hotaru, the expression intensifying   
slightly. "He was always like that. If he thought it'd   
cause someone trouble to help him, he'd have tried to build   
an entire building just by himself."  
  
"Inconveniencing people isn't a particularly polite   
thing to do. I simply try to avoid making their lives any   
more stressful than they already are," Jadeite said, waving   
his hand softly in a dismissive gesture while Hotaru gave a   
quiet giggle next to him at Setsuna's words. "I feel that   
I should be doing more helping for others than asking their   
help for things that I can do myself, too."  
  
"Among people who are your friends it's not something   
to be kept track of though, wouldn't you say?" interjected   
Minako, sliding an arm forward from where they'd crossed   
over her chest to indicate Jadeite. "Besides, Setsuna   
already said she'd do it for you, so stop worrying about it   
and accept it graciously, like a gentleman."  
  
"He's not got much choice, since it's time to leave.   
He'll have to just live with her help until he can get back   
to the Moon, it seems," said Hotaru, whose attention had   
been drawn to the line of people beginning to board the   
shuttle not far away. "Good luck tonight at your   
performances, Minako. We'll be back to see you both soon,   
I'm sure." Hotaru waved to both Setsuna and Minako, then,   
and moved towards the end of the passenger line.   
  
"It seems Hotaru is correct. I wish both of you   
ladies a good day, and shall meet you again. I can not say   
how much I appreciate the chance to see you all in non-  
hostile circumstances." As was his way, Jadeite then bowed   
to both Minako and Setsuna before making his own way to the   
boarding line.  
  
"We'll see you later! And I'm going to hold you to   
your word about coming to see one of my performances,   
Jadeite. Hotaru better come with you, too!" called Minako   
to the departing pair, waving to them at the same time.   
  
"Until next time, guardian and firefly of the   
Earth," said Setsuna, smiling softly before turning to part   
alongside Minako, who was beginning her trek out of the   
spaceport. Her words were a reference to the meaning of   
Hotaru's name, which meant firefly of the Earth when taken   
in a literal sense. It took mere seconds for Minako and   
Setsuna's forms to become lost amongst the sea of people   
within the concourse, and once more Hotaru and Jadeite were   
relatively alone.  
  
It was not long before Jadeite and Hotaru were seated   
aboard their shuttle, ready for the return trip to the   
Earth. They'd only been on the Moon for several days, but   
it seemed as though they'd been there for weeks, at the   
very least, due to the sheer amount of things that had   
happened there. The relative peace of Crystal Tokyo would   
be a welcome change from the busy events of Moon Palace   
City, though they both would be working on more important   
tasks than before.   
  
"It seems like it's been quite some time since we   
were back on Earth," commented Jadeite as the shuttle   
completed its liftoff and began the trip through space   
towards Crystal Tokyo. "I don't know how, but I almost   
forgot about the youma we fought several weeks ago. I   
imagine I'll be spending a lot of time looking into its   
source once we return."  
  
"Setsuna said she had some information on that,   
though she added that it wasn't much. She meant to give it   
to you before we left, but that meeting with Michiru came   
up and didn't give her a chance," Hotaru said, looking over   
towards Jadeite as the shuttle cruised through space.   
"It's energy felt odd, now that I think about it. Most of   
the youma in the past at least had a sense of, well,   
Earthiness, I guess you could say. That one didn't seem at   
all related to the planet."  
  
"I didn't have any powers at the time, but I know   
what you mean. I could almost feel it in my bones that it   
wasn't related to the Earth in the least," responded   
Jadeite. "So, if it's from somewhere other than Earth, it   
means that things are a bit more complicated than they   
seemed at first."  
  
"It does have certain advantages, though," said   
Hotaru, smiling softly.  
  
"What sort of advantages are those?" asked Jadeite,   
his gray eyes turning to meet hers of purple.  
  
"We can work together on the problem. It's not from   
Earth, and the planets in the Solar System have no native   
life on them. In fact, only Mars and Venus have anyone on   
them, and that's only because we've begun colonizing them   
again. That means it's something from outside the system,   
and that makes it the business of the Outer Senshi."   
  
"So it does," said Jadeite, smiling faintly. "At   
least, we'll be working together so long as you think you   
can tolerate the presence of a senile old man." The   
Guardian of the Earth smiled more broadly after those   
words, and gave a quiet laugh as well. He truly was old,   
though he had to admit that he was feeling much younger   
than he had several days ago, thanks to the return of his   
powers and the revitalizing effects of his second chance.  
  
"Oh, come on," said Hotaru, laughing quietly.   
"You're much to sharp to be a senile old man, and you   
certainly don't look the part, either. You've even still   
got all your original teeth."  
  
"All right. I'll grant you the fact that I don't fit   
the part of an old senile man, or even an old wise man," he   
said, shaking his head slightly while still laughing.   
Then, calming himself, he shifted in his seat and leaned it   
back so that he could be more comfortable. "Where do you   
think we should start in our search for information,   
then?" he asked.  
  
"I suspect Setsuna already has some information about   
that which will help us determine how that youma got there,   
so our best bet is to wait for her before going off on any   
wild chases," responded Hotaru, mirroring Jadeite's   
reclining of the seat so that she could lay back slightly.   
"We have to get the old lab set up for both of our uses,   
anyway. Would you object to having Ami come by to help us   
hook up some computers?"  
  
"Not at all. If she's as skilled as rumors say in   
matters of technology and medicine than it's a blessing,   
though it might be difficult to find an open spot in her   
schedule. Now that I think about it, I didn't notice her   
at the celebration, either." He could remember clearly   
that Setsuna had not attended the celebration, but he had   
assumed all the other Senshi were in attendance. Upon   
considering it, though, he didn't recall seeing Ami at all   
that night. He'd assumed that his distracted state due to   
his search for Hotaru was the reason, but it was also   
possible that she simply hadn't been there.  
  
"She was there, but she only stayed for part of the   
night. She runs a medical practice in Crystal Tokyo, and   
she was only able to get the single night off. She got in,   
attended, and left by the next dawn. She lives a rather   
rushed life, sadly. We keep telling her to slow down, but   
all she ever does is smile and say 'I'm living my life how   
I've always wanted to.'" Hotaru gave a quiet sigh after she   
finished, and then shrugged. Ami's behavior was a little   
hard for her to define ever since she'd finished college.  
  
"She must find the task of helping people a very   
fulfilling one, I imagine. She probably takes time off   
when no one is looking, too," said Jadeite, closing his   
eyes as he spoke.  
  
"I know she takes off work every three days or so. A   
lot of reading, as far as I know. She spends a lot of time   
at the library, too, I think. She's always loved books,   
but I always get the feeling that she seems to be missing   
something when I talk to her," Hotaru said, her lips   
forming a slight frown as she finished.  
  
"You mean it's like looking into a hollow in a   
tree?" asked Jadeite, his eyes opening to accompany a   
slightly furrowed brow.  
  
"That's almost exactly it. It's a haunted look,   
really, and it really reminds me..." Hotaru paused and   
looked over towards Jadeite, then leaned her head back and   
lowered her eyes. "It reminds me of the way you looked   
when I first met you. Even when I looked at you, frozen in   
crystal, you had a look to your eyes like something had   
been taken away deep inside. It continued, too, for the   
first few weeks and even months I knew you, but now it   
seems like it's faded away. You seem more whole, now."  
  
Jadeite turned his head to look at Hotaru as she   
finished speaking, and caught her eyes with his own, which   
came up to meet his gaze. "I simply managed to escape from   
an endless maze. I had some help, too, that I couldn't   
have made it without." A silence marked the next few   
moments, before Jadeite spoke again. "You have helped me   
more than you know, Hotaru."  
  
"You would have been fine without my help," said   
Hotaru, who found herself fighting off a slight blush   
that's source was beyond her understanding. "I've got so   
many things to distract me all the time that I can't   
imagine how I could have really done anything to help you,   
anyway. I was just trying to be kind."  
  
"You didn't even need to be kind to me. Sometimes   
the simplest acts, like treating a person as a human being,   
can be more meaningful than anything else can. Most anyone   
who knew who I was would have attacked me out of principle,   
but you allowed me the chance to prove that I had   
changed." There was no hiding the fact that he felt as   
though he'd always be in debt to her for what she'd done   
when he spoke.   
  
"It was a chance I felt you deserved," Hotaru said,   
smiling softly. "Above all else, I think it was the look   
on your face when I found you that truly convinced me that   
you deserved and needed another chance. With regards to   
chances, though, I think we both need to take this chance   
and get some sleep before we get back to Crystal Tokyo.   
There'll be a lot to do once we get back, and I'm certain   
that we don't want to be walking around like the living   
dead when we've got work to do."  
  
"You seem to consistently produce compassion and good   
ideas, Hotaru," responded Jadeite, smiling softly and   
letting his eyes fall closed again. "Sleep it shall be,   
then. I will see you when we reach Crystal Tokyo, where we   
will hopefully both feel refreshed and ready to get on with   
our lives." He didn't need to look over to know that   
Hotaru had already followed suit and let herself rest back   
and close her eyes, and it was not long before both of them   
were sleeping peacefully on the trek through space.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Moon Palace City possessed, in addition to its other   
businesses, a large artistic community as well as a well   
defined circuit of nightclubs and bars that would cater to   
people leaving work at nearly any hour of the night or day.   
In addition to the relaxation it provided those working   
people, it also was a major source of exposure for any   
musicians or performers of any sort that wished to make   
their names famous and become well-received by the people.   
To that end, Minako Aino found herself at a different bar   
or nightclub almost every single night, singing her heart   
out and laying her soul bare to connect with her audience   
so that they would appreciate her music.  
  
The Silver Cross was a nightclub like many others in   
Moon Palace City, though it possessed a few more high   
quality features than its competition. Located near to the   
Moon Palace itself, the Silver Cross attracted a large   
number of workers and guards who worked there who came to   
have a drink and listen to music after their shifts had   
ended. The nightclub had been constructed in the basement   
of the Silver Cathedral restaurant, owned by the same   
person as the nightclub, who gave it excellent billing in   
the inner section of the city. The most attractive feature   
of the nightclub for performers was the larger than average   
stage and the way it overlooked the majority of the   
patron's locations, who often sat at tables surrounding a   
dance floor in the center of the room. Speakers were   
placed all around to ensure that the performer could be   
heard anyplace within, except for a single dead corner   
where, customarily, no one sat.  
  
Minako had been forced to rush to prepare for the   
performance that she'd be playing at the bar that night,   
since she was required to avoid direct connection between   
her Senshi duties and her life as an entertainer. Despite   
the fact that she had to pick up a new dress for the   
performance, get her back up musicians together, and   
organize all the sound equipment thanks to her manager   
being ill, she had managed to make it to the nightclub a   
few minutes early. Normally, the nightclub would close for   
a couple of hours between each shift, timed to the working   
schedules of the people of Moon Palace City. That time   
allowed the performers for the next cycle to set up and   
test their equipment.  
  
"Do we have the amplifiers set up to carry the   
synthesizers?" asked Minako, who was plugging her   
microphone into a wiring junction that would carry its   
signal through the array of speakers in the room. In her   
time as a performer, she had found her knowledge of the   
technical aspects of the business increase almost as   
greatly as her singing talent had, and her knowledge,   
combined with that of her fellow musicians, allowed them to   
set up their equipment without any sort of stage crew.  
  
"Yeah, we got them hooked up. Tough, though. Had to   
use adapters to fit them in to these. We'll have to test   
them to make sure the sound holds up," responded Keith, the   
young man who played the synthesizer in her small band. A   
native of San Francisco back on Earth, they sometimes had   
trouble communicating due to the barriers between English   
and Japanese, which had become, in the wake of the Silence,   
the two dominant languages in the Shin-Muun Kingdom.   
Fortunately, his Japanese had advanced considerably since   
he'd been on the Moon for their performances.  
  
"The drums are all good to go as well," added in   
Keichii, the band's drummer. A lanky fellow with a mop of   
brown hair and fuzzy goatee, he was typically the one who   
liked to bask in the glow of his small clan of fan girls,   
who followed him to each performance. He still hadn't   
quite figured out how he acquired their attention when the   
band played mostly ballads and dance music, but he wasn't   
about to reject them. "I think Jamie has the guitar ready,   
too, so we can test everything in a few minutes, here."  
  
"Great. Get the music out for the new piece, so we   
can see how it sounds in here, all right?" Minako was   
eager to try their new song, which she had written after a   
sudden bolt of inspiration had struck her at the   
celebration for Jadeite's welcoming to the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom and Elios and Chibi-Usa's engagement. Looking at   
both Hotaru and Chibi-Usa, and the looks they gave Jadeite   
and Elios' when they had danced, she had found what she   
believed to be the perfect material for a new song.  
  
"The Dreaming Eyes piece, right?" asked Keith,   
pulling his head free from a cluster of cables and power   
cords near the back. "Sure you want to play it tonight? I   
mean, we were still having a bit of trouble with the   
transition in the first part. Though, I expect we could   
probably pull it off, now that we're not totally wasted   
from practicing for three hours straight."  
  
"Hey, listen to what the lady says," said Keichii,   
making a disapproving face at Keith. "We only messed up   
because you were too busy thinking about your date the   
other night. The rest of us can handle it." Keichii   
always liked to give Keith trouble about his habit of   
referencing his girlfriend in almost every situation and   
being constantly distracted by the thought of her, though   
Minako and Jamie, the guitarist, thought it was probably   
because he was a little lonely himself and wished he had   
the same thing.  
  
"Come on, you know Keith would play it even if the   
sky were falling," said Minako, laughing and shaking her   
head. "Now, let's get to it, shall we? We've got an   
audience to amaze tonight, and if we're lucky, we might   
just get our big break with this performance. I've heard   
there are a couple of producers who are looking into   
picking us up for records, and if any of their scouts are   
here, we've got to impress them."  
  
"No problem," came Keith's voice, as he settled in   
behind his two synthesizers. "I was born ready to make   
music."  
  
"You were born to make music? Come on, man, and give   
it a rest. You say you were born to do something different   
every day. Last night it was that you were born to eat lo-  
mein." Keichii also liked antagonizing Keith, but they   
were also good friends, so it was always obvious that they   
were acting in jest with one another.   
  
"I'm all set," called out the voice of Jamie, who   
climbed up onto the stage from the nightclub's main floor.   
"All the speakers are on and set up, and we have the   
circuit breaker all set to handle the equipment's   
requirements." Unlike the other members of the band, Jamie   
was a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties, with   
long black hair and a distinctively Chinese ancestry. She   
always dressed in traditional Mandarin-style outfits when   
they performed, and tonight she'd pulled out a particularly   
elegant red one with gold trim.   
  
"Then let's take our spots, and play," said Minako, a   
smile breaking onto her face as she swung up her   
microphone, spinning it between her fingers above her head   
before clasping it lightly and holding it before her, ready   
for her to sing. She heard the sound of Jamie picking up   
her guitar as she set herself in the right posture to sing,   
and she already knew that Keith and Keiichi were at their   
spots. "All right! One, two, one, two, three," she called   
out, and in time, the pickup note for the song came in, and   
they began their rehearsal.  
  
An hour after the rehearsal for Minako's band, the   
doors of the Silver Cross Nightclub opened, and allowed a   
flood of patrons to enter. With the celebration over and   
Chibi-Usa preparing to visit the new colony on Mars with   
Rei Hino and Makoto Kino, the Moon Palace was going to be   
less a hectic place with several of the main people they   
serviced being gone. That meant that even more than normal   
numbers of people were taking time to go out and relax   
after their shifts, rather than worrying about getting as   
much sleep as possible before their next day, and the   
nightclub was certainly witness to that, as the place was   
packed almost end to end with people. The only area that   
tended to remain unoccupied was the quiet corner that lay   
opposite both the stage and the bar in the room.  
  
Half an hour after the opening of the nightclub and   
the beginning of the deluge of patrons, Minako and her band   
took the stage. Minako had gotten a new dress for the   
performance, and it was certainly a fine choice, with a   
slender fit on top and a loose, wide skirt that fell down   
to her ankles. The top was sequined, causing the sunflower   
colored outfit to glow almost like a small star under the   
lights of the stage, and the skirt was a gossamer fabric   
that seemed to shimmer like liquid gold. Amidst the   
clapping from the patrons, she announced herself and her   
fellow band members, before leading off with one of her old   
favorites, a song she'd written before the Silence but   
never gotten to play until recently.  
  
As she performed, Minako was pleased to see that   
people were avoiding the small sound dead zone in the   
corner with surprising regularity, with no single person   
remaining there more than a minute or two. If her music   
was holding them all so well, she knew that she'd be   
impressing and scout from the recording groups that might   
be there, but to make sure, she began to throw even a bit   
more of her heart into the music. As each song ended, the   
people cheered and gave applause, which to the performers   
on stage, including her, was almost like receiving life's   
blood.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was a solid hour and a half into their performance   
on the stage when Minako first noticed the figure sitting   
in the dead zone of the nightclub. While others seemed to   
linger there for no more than a minute or two at most, the   
one there which caught her attention had been sitting there   
for at least five minutes, and didn't seem intent on moving   
any time soon. In fact, she noticed that he even had a   
drink before him, and a small plate of sushi. One of the   
more upscale features of the nightclub was that it offered   
food to its patrons in addition to drinks, but sushi was   
rather expensive.   
  
The figure was definitely a man, she decided, for   
when he shifted and the light briefly highlighted his face,   
she could see a hard cast to his expression. Still, he was   
not unattractive, possessing more chiseled features and   
short, flowing black hair. Occasionally she caught a   
glimpse of his eyes, which even from that distance she   
could determine were black, a fact that surprised her,   
considering the distance from the stage to the corner.   
Suddenly, a concern struck her, as she noticed his long,   
gray coat and the manner in which he folded his hands on   
the table when he wasn't sipping his drink or eating. If   
he was ordering an expensive dish, and sitting calmly in   
the back of he nightclub, he just might have been a scout   
from a recording group.   
  
A scout from the recording groups would have been   
welcomed with open arms by Minako under any other   
circumstances, but the grim expression he wore and the fact   
that he was sitting in what she was certain was the worst   
acoustic location in the entire nightclub suddenly gave   
rise to distinct worry for her. He wasn't going to be   
getting the full power of the music, and he most certainly   
didn't appear to be at all enjoying himself, which meant   
that if he had the power to give her a record that would   
not only play on the Moon, but Earth as well, he would not   
be inclined to use it if her appraisal of his mood was   
correct.  
  
For the next hour of her performance, Minako found   
herself troubled by the unmoving man in the corner, whom   
never seemed to let his attention really focus on anything.   
He gave her glances every few minutes, but it almost seemed   
as though he was looking through her rather than at her,   
which was a feeling she found very discomforting. Everyone   
else who focused their attention on her seemed to connect   
with her and feel the music, genuinely enjoying the   
performance, and yet, there was a man who looked upon her   
as though she were an alien. The fear of the possible   
implications threw her off for a few moments, but then she   
realized that he also probably couldn't hear the   
performance all that well.  
  
"All right, guys, let's try the new piece," said   
Minako, turning to look at her fellow band members after   
she finished her last song. "Let's give it everything   
we've got. I think there's a scout out there, so don't hold   
anything back." Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself   
and then turned back to the audience, taking her spot on   
the front of the stage while the others prepared their   
music and gave affirmative responses. Soon, she heard   
Jamie utter a quiet assurance that they were all ready.   
  
Minako's song, Dreaming Eyes, began with only the   
sound of her voice, which quickly silenced every   
conversation in the nightclub, patrons and workers alike   
turning to watch and listen to her. So powerful were the   
words and the sound of her voice that they held all of them   
enraptured, a trait that didn't come from the song alone.   
She had very specifically steeled her spirit and opened her   
heart for the song, determined to gain the man in the   
corner's recognition and appreciation as she had gained   
everyone else's. Soon, the sound of her band mates playing   
came in as well, and she knew that the place was theirs.   
  
Every word she'd sung so far in her song, Minako had   
kept her eyes closed. As she reached the climax of the   
song, she let them open slowly, and immediately she focused   
on the man in the corner. He had to be listening to her   
and watching her after that, or she felt she'd faint, for   
she did not want to fail in letting her song send its   
message to all that heard it. She almost jumped in joy   
when she saw that his eyes were intent upon her and her   
alone, and she allowed herself to burst out with the final   
part of her song. Even as she did so, she found herself   
subconsciously trying to determine what she saw in his   
eyes.   
  
The man seemed to be surprised more than anything   
else, from what she could interpret of his unwavering gaze,   
and on top of that, he seemed to truly be appreciating her   
music for that moment, despite the fact that his expression   
hadn't changed at all from the grim set it had held before.   
All of the things she felt from him, instead, were purely   
from his black eyes, which she had always found to be the   
most defining aspect of a person's intent and purpose.   
  
It was as Minako finished her song that she decided   
that she would approach the man and try to talk to him   
after she finished. She wanted to know, in fact she needed   
to know, whether he was really listening to any of her   
music but the last piece and if he was a record producing   
scout or not. If he was, she felt certain that her last   
song would have ensured their chances to have a record that   
would span the entire Shin-Muun Kingdom, allowing her to   
finally cease living two lives as Sailor Venus and Minako   
Aino, the performer. Amidst the standing applause of the   
patrons of the nightclub, Minako bowed and named the other   
members of her band once more before excusing herself from   
the stage the moment the curtain slid shut.   
  
"Hey, Minako, where are you going?" asked Keiichi,   
who was putting his drumsticks into the fabric case he   
always kept them in. "In a hurry or something?"  
  
"I think I saw a scout out there! I'm going to go   
find him," said Minako, weaving with surprising speed   
between the musical instruments and around the cables and   
wires that connected them to the various systems.   
  
"Hey, wait for us then! We want to know what he   
says!" exclaimed Jamie, trying to go after Minako. After   
all, if it truly were a scout, then it would be all their   
careers that would receive the boost to a new level and   
provide them with the fame they sought, as well as the   
exposure.   
  
"No, you guys need to pack up everything. We've got   
another performance tomorrow night, remember?" Minako had   
paused to turn back and address them at the exit of the   
stage area. She really didn't want them following her,   
because she wanted to talk to the man about more than just   
the possibility of a record and she felt they might find it   
odd. "I won't be gone long, anyway. Take care, guys!"   
With that, Minako disappeared and took off into the   
nightclub.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It took Minako several long minutes to weave her way   
through the hordes of people in the nightclub, who seemed   
to pack the place to a point that she was certain was   
beyond its intended capacity. Out of necessity, she had   
halted herself when she first stepped onto the nightclubs   
floor and turned around, heading quickly for her dressing   
room to change into her more typical choice of clothing,   
which consisted of a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans.   
She didn't want to be mobbed when she went out on the   
floor, and she was fairly certain, as she neared the dead   
zone corner that it had been a wise decision.  
  
Much to Minako's relief, the man was still sitting   
there, though instead of eating his sushi and watching the   
performance, he was watching the people move about on the   
dance floor as music played from a sound system to satisfy   
their desires to dance while sipping on what was left of   
his drink. She almost stopped herself when she drew near,   
though, due to a feeling that suddenly struck her. It   
seemed almost as though he had a field that radiated a   
sense of sorrow, yet it was mixed with a certain nobility   
that was found in the way he sat with his shoulders back   
and his head held high. While it was enough to make her   
hesitate, Minako did not let herself give up, and decided   
to take the initiative.  
  
"Excuse me sir, but I would like to speak with you,"   
said Minako, her voice polite and quiet. She suddenly felt   
as though that man was someone she didn't want to suddenly   
break onto with her normally more cheerful attitude. He   
seemed deserving of respect and solitude, and she already   
felt bad for having interrupted whatever he was doing.   
Still, it caught his attention, and she found his face   
turned towards her, with her blue eyes meeting his black   
ones.  
  
"So, you're Minako Aino," he said, his voice a   
pleasant average depth with a hint of refinement within the   
tone. There was another ingredient to his voice as well,   
but Minako couldn't place it quite yet. "Please, do not be   
apprehensive or anxious. You came to talk to me, I would   
guess, so feel free to do so. I will tell you what I can."  
  
"Oh, wonderful. Thank you," said Minako, letting out   
some breath she'd unconsciously held the moment he started   
speaking. "I apologize for coming out of nowhere, since you   
seemed rather intent on something, but I was wondering if   
you were able to hear my performance back here. It's   
notorious for being an acoustic dead zone."  
  
"Ah yes, that's an interesting thing indeed," he   
responded, offering a slight smile. He was definitely a   
youthful man, though he had hard lines etched into the   
corners of his eyes that gave him a touch of aged wisdom in   
appearance. "You I could hear perfectly well. Your   
companions, however, were very distant. You see, you seem   
to stand further forward on the stage, and since you   
project your voice well, it carries farther than other   
performers, so you reach even this back area. You simply   
have no accompaniment when listening from here."  
  
"So you were actually listening to me sing?" asked   
Minako, who smiled due to her sense of relief. "I didn't   
think you were listening at all, until the last song. If   
you don't mind me asking, though, do you work for one of   
the record companies?" With one of her concerns satisfied,   
she felt the need to check on the other matter, which   
concerned her friends in the band as well.  
  
"Truthfully, I didn't pay much attention until that   
last song. However, the way you sang it made me sure that   
you had written all of your own music, and that you really   
did believe in what the lyrics and emotions of the music   
said. I apologize, however, as I am not from any of the   
record companies." The man smiled apologetically and bowed   
his head slightly, seemingly genuinely sorry to disappoint   
her. "My name is Nisei, and I'm a traveler from a   
considerable distance away. I'm sure my name isn't that   
important to you, but since I know yours, I felt it only   
fair to give you mine."  
  
"No, I'm glad you told me your name. It's good to   
meet new people and become friends with them, regardless of   
what they do or where they're from," said Minako after a   
short pause that had allowed her to consider his words.   
"Well, I suppose that as long as even one of my songs was   
really felt, then I'm doing well as a singer. Did you not   
like the others?"  
  
"The other pieces were well done, but the last song   
was a level above the rest, easily," replied Nisei, who   
pushed out one of the chairs at his table. "Please have a   
seat, madam. I would hate to make you stand for the   
duration of our entire conversation, for I feel we have   
more to discuss."  
  
"Thank you," she replied, smiling once more as she   
sat herself down and scooted the chair to the table. "I   
just wrote the new song. It was no more than a few days   
ago. Maybe that'd explain why it seems to have more power   
than the rest, or maybe I've just gotten better than I was   
with my old songs. Also, I'm sorry for mistaking you for   
one of the recording companies' scouts. It's just that you   
had a look that was similar to theirs when you were   
watching the performance."  
  
"I don't think it's your timing that made the   
difference. I would suspect that you've always had the   
potential within, and they it just surfaced with that song.   
You have a gift, and you should continue to share it with   
people," he said. Then, he paused for a moment. "I hope   
that you don't think I'm being some sort of obsessed fan.   
This is, quite truthfully, the first time I've heard or   
seen you, though I must note that you look much nicer in   
normal clothing than you do dressed up and on stage."  
  
"Actually, it'd be kind of nice to have some obsessed   
fans. Not many people seem to be regulars in attending my   
performances, and our music hasn't sold too well except in   
a few outer sections of the city," said Minako, sighing   
quietly. Then, she smiled, and shrugged slightly.   
"Sometimes the simple things seem nicer than the fancy   
ones, then?" She hadn't expected any appreciative comments   
with regards to her rather common choice of clothing.  
  
"Why do people like flowers? Because they are simple   
yet beautiful and easy to understand. Perhaps you aren't   
easy to understand, but you make your heart easily   
accessible, and with that trait and tonight's performance,   
I'm sure you'll soon have more fans." Nisei paused then to   
take a sip of his drink, which Venus suspected to be an   
alcohol of some sort that she couldn't quite identify. "I   
appreciate your speaking with me, Miss Minako Aino.   
Perhaps our paths will cross again, but it is late and I   
must head off."  
  
"Oh, all right. I really would hate to keep you up   
if you're tired," replied Minako, offering a smile as she   
stood up. A soft bow was executed as well, as a parting   
gesture. "Perhaps I'll see you again, yes. If you like,   
I'll be performing at one tomorrow at the Gilded Tome club.   
You can hear me perform again and tell me how I sound the   
second time."  
  
"I will likely have work to do tomorrow, but I will   
see if perhaps I can attend. Until then, I bid you a good   
night and pleasant day tomorrow." Nisei mirrored Minako's   
bow smoothly upon standing up, though it seemed to be a   
very refined, almost precise and militaristic motion for   
him. It rose a question in her mind that she decided she'd   
ask him if she saw him again, for there was no time to ask   
him as he retreated from the Silver Cross, vanishing on the   
streets of Moon Palace City.  
  
"Hey, Minako! Who was that?" asked a voice that   
startled Minako out of her wits, due to its sudden arrival   
from right behind her. Turning, the deeply breathing   
singer held her chest for a moment, eyes focusing on the   
figure of Keith. "Well, anyway, one of the recording   
group's scouts came to use after you left! They want to   
talk to you as soon as possible, and I think they're going   
to offer us a deal!"  
  
"What? Where is he?" asked Minako, recovering   
quickly at the prospect of their band's big break. If it   
really was the chance for a major record that could be   
distributed all over the Moon and the Earth, then they'd be   
famous in no time, and Minako could finally stop hiding her   
identity as Sailor Venus, having proven that she didn't   
need that distinction to have her talent recognized by   
people.  
  
"He's out by the stage, waiting for us. Just follow   
me," said Keith, turning to make his way through the   
thinning crowds of patrons so that he and Minako could get   
to the stage door. Finally, it seemed they'd made it, and   
all they had to do was get the deal hammered out and   
signed. To be a star, was Minako's dream, and it was within   
her grasp at long last.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Setsuna, it's good to see you again. You haven't   
dropped by in such a long time that I was beginning to   
think your work had devoured you," said Professor Souichi   
Tomoe. "I hope you've been doing well." Clad in his   
typical white lab coat and white shirt with tie, Professor   
Tomoe was a figure with what could be called a smart look.   
Silver hair that was a little long and wide glasses   
combined to complete the impression, as he greeted Setsuna   
Meiou at the front door of his home.  
  
"Souichi," said Setsuna, smiling pleasantly in a   
reserved manner that always seemed to suit her well. "It   
has been quite some time, hasn't it. You look much the   
same as you always have, but that's understandable, I   
suppose. Your research into longevity is renowned in the   
scientific community, these days. I'm afraid my own   
research has fallen behind with my duties to the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom."  
  
"Yes, I can imagine that taking up a great deal of   
your time," responded Professor Tomoe. "The Crystal   
Watcher's Spire is still functioning well, I take it, then.   
I keep meaning to get up and ensure that the computers I   
made for you are all working at full capacity, but my   
research has been frighteningly demanding of late, and with   
Hotaru's graduation from school, I've had no time at all."  
  
"That's partially my own fault, and I apologize for   
that. Hotaru's duties were demanding in recent years, and   
only now did she finally get the chance to finish school   
because of my requiring her help. I hope she didn't have   
any troubles with the other students in school because of   
her age," said Setsuna, who stepped in at the silent   
invitation of Professor Tomoe.  
  
"Fortunately, the other students never really noticed   
that she was older than they, since she, like the rest of   
you, doesn't age nearly the same way. She did comment   
several times that her 'peers' were rather silly, but she   
said it was nice to have an excuse to act like a teenager   
again." He shook his head as he finished, and allowed   
himself a quiet laugh, before going on. "At any rate, I   
believe that you're here to see Jadeite and Hotaru,   
correct? They're down in the lab's old section, working on   
rearranging the desks and equipment. Would you like me to   
show you down to them?"  
  
"No, thank you," replied Setsuna. "I've already   
interrupted your work, and I don't wish to further delay   
you. I should be able to find my way down. However, we   
should sit down and have a chat once I'm finished. As you   
said, it's been a long time since we've had the opportunity   
to talk to one another in a casual setting."  
  
"Certainly," said the Professor, heading for the door   
that would lead them to the laboratory. "I'll be doing   
some work down there as well, but just keep going through   
to the far end and you'll find them. They should be   
expecting you, but if not, it'll do good to give them a   
rest. They've been working all the time, these last few   
days." With that, he made his way down the stairs.  
  
"I'll see what I can do about getting them to slow   
down, a bit," said Setsuna, moving down behind Professor   
Tomoe. "Good luck with your projects. I'll talk to you   
soon," she said as they reached the bottom of the stairs,   
offering a soft wave to him before she headed off to meet   
with Jadeite and Hotaru.  
  
It didn't take long for Setsuna to locate the pair,   
who were sorting through old files on a desk just inside   
what had formerly been the Witches 5 offices. Both were   
glad to see her, and in no time they were sitting around a   
table that had been set up in the center of the old office   
space, discussing the recent matters and the coming times,   
and their great significance to the Shin-Muun Kingdom.  
  
"So, the way it happened was that you saw an image   
that represented the beginning of a shattering crystal, and   
found several possible sources for it. Really, though, you   
found one possible source and another that you couldn't   
identify, and you needed to know for certain which was   
real, and so you tracked me down and had me set free of the   
crystal," said Jadeite, who was assembling the facts that   
had been presented to him in his mind.  
  
"That is how it happened Jadeite, yes. It wasn't   
certain at first if you were the source of the threat, or   
if the threat was seeking you out, so we had to ensure that   
you were kept under a keen eye," said Setsuna, who seemed   
to be not the least bit concerned with the possibility that   
the plan would sound as though he had never really been   
trusted to begin with.  
  
"I suppose I can't blame someone for believing I   
might be the origin of the end of the world as it's known   
now," said Jadeite, sighing softly as he moved to rest his   
elbows on the table top and prop up his chin with the palms   
of his hands. "I hope I've proven my intentions now,   
though."  
  
"Of course you have," said Hotaru, leaning forward   
slightly. "Don't sell yourself so short, Jadeite. You   
know very well that you've accomplished much in the short   
time you've been back, and that you've done nothing wrong."  
  
"Don't worry, Jadeite. Hotaru was just doing as I   
asked her, anyway. She had something of a fascination with   
you once she discovered your frozen form, and kept asking   
me to make sure that you really were one of the Kings of   
the Dark Kingdom. She was the one who said you ought to   
have the chance to prove yourself, instead of simply being   
locked up and kept under guard. She even volunteered to   
watch over you herself, and it was no small amount of   
effort that got her that privilege," said Setsuna, much to   
the sudden dismay of Hotaru, who became rather shy upon the   
mention of her unusual crush on the blond Guardian of the   
Earth.  
  
"I'm more indebted to you then I first knew, then,"   
said Jadeite, looking with his cool gray eyes towards   
Hotaru, who blinked and then shied away from his gaze for a   
moment. Even though she'd been perfectly comfortable with   
their dancing at the celebration and their discussions and   
time together during their trip, she was still a bit more   
nervous than she let on around him, for he made her feel a   
bit more light hearted than she did around anyone else, for   
some reason. "I have no reason to hold anything against   
either of you for your actions, of course. You did what   
was best for the kingdom."  
  
"You prove once more that you've grown wiser,   
Jadeite," said Setsuna, who was still smiling at the small   
exchange between he and Hotaru. She found herself rather   
curious as to whether or not her father knew that she had   
feelings for Jadeite, and decided to mention it to him   
later. "Your excess pride has been released, and your   
understanding of what is necessary has expanded   
significantly, making you an excellent person to be   
Guardian of the Earth. That brings me to the matters of   
our duties, truthfully."  
  
"I heard from Haruka and Michiru just a few hours ago   
that they spotted what looked like some sort of space   
vessel just passing Pluto's outer orbit. Had it not   
blocked the light of a star, they would never have noticed   
it, but when they noticed the light extinguished for a   
moment, they decided to get out a telescope and look into   
the night sky. They haven't been able to get any pictures   
of it, but we do know that where they saw it isn't where it   
actually is, due to the amount of time light takes to   
travel from there to Earth. I'll be heading over to an   
observatory in Arizona, of the former United States, to get   
a good photo of it," said Setsuna, who paused at that point   
to let the information sink in.  
  
"Have you seen it at all yet?" asked Hotaru, whose   
expression had changed from one of shyness to one of   
curiosity and concern, her purple eyes narrowed slightly in   
consideration.   
  
"I haven't yet seen it, no, but they said that the   
ship was nearly impossible to see, and that they only could   
find it because they had an idea there was something there.   
The entire vessel was painted black, but that's the only   
detail they could make out beyond its slightly elongated   
shape. I'll send you a copy of the photos once I've gotten   
them at the observatory," answered Setsuna.   
  
"Could they tell how fast it was moving, or where it   
was headed?" asked Jadeite, his question being the logical   
succession to Hotaru's own. It sometimes surprised Setsuna   
that Hotaru and Jadeite were able to think along such   
similar lines much of the time, without their even   
realizing it.   
  
"It wasn't moving quickly, I'm told, but it was   
definitely aimed towards the inner system, and that makes   
it a definite concern. I suspect that it has a connection   
to the youma which struck here several weeks ago, and I do   
not think my concerns will be abated when I am able to   
consult the Scrying Pool once I'm back on the Moon   
tomorrow." The concern was, in fact, obvious in the soft   
narrowing of Setsuna's eyes and the slight furrowing of her   
brow.   
  
"I guess we'll have to try and set up some telescopes   
and watch the skies as well. Do we have anything that   
monitors the traffic of objects around the Earth and   
Moon?" asked Jadeite, who was deathly serious quite   
suddenly when he saw Setsuna's expression. Things which   
worried who he considered to be the most powerful of all   
the Sailor Senshi were not to be taken lightly, and he   
instinctively figured that there was even more here than   
she was ready to explain.   
  
"There's a monitoring system of high quality at the   
space port. Maybe my father can hook up to it with some   
computers down here, so we can keep track of things as   
well. It's a brand new system, too, so there's not much   
chance that it's going to be easily gotten by, if they mean   
to do anything hostile. Judging by that youma, though, I'd   
say we need to be ready for a fight," said Hotaru.  
  
"A good idea, Hotaru. I'll ask Souichi about it on   
my way out, and since that is what I should be doing now, I   
will be going. Thank you for your time, Hotaru, Jadeite.   
I wish you both the best of luck in your part in this."   
Setsuna smiled, then, and turned, heading away from the   
pair. She would speak with Souichi and see what he could   
do, and she was certain that Hotaru and Jadeite would be   
more than ready to do their part to protect the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom. Unfortunately, her time was short, and she   
reminded herself to keep moving, which was a fact she found   
somewhat amusing, since she was the Senshi of Time.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We can't just sit here and wait for something that   
we know next to nothing about to just waltz up to the Moon   
or to Earth and do as it pleases, Your Majesty!" Haruka   
Tenou, commonly known also as Sailor Uranus, stood in the   
throne room of the Moon Palace, one arm thrown out to her   
side with fingers splayed out and the other with a clenched   
fist in front of her as she spoke to Neo-Queen Serenity,   
trying to convince her to allow herself and Michiru Kaiou   
to fly out on one of the Shin-Muun Kingdom's few armed   
shuttles to try and confront the unidentified ship that had   
arrived in the Solar System.  
  
"I will not allow you to take hostile actions   
against someone who may be peaceful, Haruka, nor will I   
allow you, Michiru, to do the same. We need to wait   
patiently to see what develops in this situation, rather   
than rushing out to start a conflict whether intentionally   
or by accident," responded the Neo-Queen, who sat on her   
throne in a slightly uncomfortable manner. She did not   
like having to argue with her friends, but in the current   
case, she saw no choice, for their idea conflicted greatly   
with her own.  
  
"The Earth already was attacked once by unidentified   
youma, Usagi. That gives us more than enough reason to be   
suspicious of anything coming near our worlds. What if   
that ship is the source of those youma?" Michiru spoke at   
that point in lieu of her tall, blond companion, brushing a   
hand through her soft blue-green hair as she did so. "The   
risk is to great not to take action."  
  
"That may well have been an isolated incident, you   
know. It's not certain whether or not that youma had any   
connection to another force, or if it was just some left   
over from older battles we've fought. You're jumping to   
conclusions, so please, calm down and think things   
through," said Neo-Queen Serenity, her head bowing softly   
and her eyes, which hinted at a distinct sorrow, closed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I just can't agree.   
How many times has an incident ever been just an isolated   
occurrence in our lives? You know as well as I that there   
are always greater forces at work than what we initially   
suspect, and this is likely no different. We need to be   
ready for this, no matter what it is or what happens."   
Haruka once again took up the argument of the Outer Senshi   
before the Neo-Queen, though her voice was calmer than it   
had been a moment ago, as was her pose, which consisted of   
her arms relaxed limply at her sides.   
  
"I will call the other Senshi together, or at least   
those who can make it quickly, then. We will all discuss   
the matter, and if you all agree, then I will go along with   
your plan. Otherwise, we will proceed with this matter in   
my way. I apologize, but I do not wish another conflict to   
befall the Shin-Muun Kingdom needlessly." Neo-Queen   
Serenity's head lifted as she finished, and the look in her   
blue eyes stated plainly that it was the end of their   
argument for the time being, much to the dismay of the two   
Outer Senshi. Despite their misgivings, they had to admit   
that Usagi had become a fine ruler for the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom, and with the backing of her husband, King   
Endymion, they were the most fair and just rulers they   
could recall ever being in power.  
  
"Very well, Your Majesty," said Michiru and Haruka   
together. We will await the gathering of the other Senshi,   
but I ask that you make it as swift as possible. We can't   
afford to waste any time, particularly if this really is a   
danger to the kingdom," continued Haruka. "We will try and   
gather the other Outer Senshi, but I doubt they will be   
able to make it here in time. They are already dealing   
with this matter in preliminary manners."  
  
"Will you please request that they calm down and take   
this more slowly as well?" requested the Neo-Queen, sighing   
quietly. "You all take any possible threat with so much   
seriousness that you'd think it was the imminent end of the   
world, and it needs to stop. Otherwise, we'll be jumping   
at any slight problem that shouldn't be a concern of this   
magnitude."  
  
"We will request that of them, Your Majesty," said   
Michiru, nodding once in place of Haruka, who quite   
obviously was doing her best to stifle what most certainly   
was a scathing response befitting her level of concern on   
the potential threat. "It may take some time to gain their   
consent, however," she added, as she turned and began to   
leave the hall, her high-heeled shoes clicking softly on   
the floor and resounding throughout the throne room.   
  
"We will return at your beckoning, Your Majesty,"   
said Haruka after a long few moments before she, too,   
turned and made her way out of the hallway. There was no   
mistaking the angry disappointment within her, and within   
Michiru, for that matter, but the Neo-Queen knew them both   
well enough to know that they were upset due to their   
senses of duty and their desire to protect both her and the   
Shin-Muun Kingdom.  
  
"Mamo-chan," said the Neo-Queen, looking towards King   
Endymion, who sat beside her on his matching throne. "Am I   
being foolish with this? Should I let them go and do as   
they requested, and simply ask them to try and avoid any   
conflicts?"  
  
"Usa-ko," responded King Endymion, smiling towards   
his wife softly. "You are merely trying to do things the   
way that is right to you. I know that, as do they, and no   
one can fault you for that. Have faith in your judgment,   
and let things proceed as they will. You will do your best   
no matter what happens."  
  
"Thank you, Mamo-chan," she replied, smiling back.   
"I just needed to hear it from someone other than myself,   
that's all." With that, she took a slow, deep breath,   
which she held for a moment before releasing slowly and   
quietly. "Shall we continue with our business for the day   
and see the next visitors to the Moon Palace?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Like the Silver Cross Nightclub, the Gilded Tome Club   
was a popular diversion for workers of the Moon Palace that   
spent their early morning hours laboring. A setup superior   
in design to the Silver Cross Nightclub, but not as popular   
with the fans for reasons which never seemed to be known,   
the Gilded Tome was still very popular amongst workers of   
all different walks of life in Moon Palace City.   
  
Minako Aino had been performing for at least a solid   
hour, her eyes scanning the crowd the entire time for any   
sign of Nisei, the long coat wearing man she'd met the   
night before. She didn't expect him to show up, in truth,   
and it made her somewhat sad to think of that possibility.   
To that end, she'd been directing her companions to play   
some of her more soft and flowing songs of lost love and   
friends, which she'd certainly had enough experience with   
to write quality songs of. The crowd seemed to be drawn   
into the music, as well, and she was amazed and somehow   
satisfied with the fact several of her listeners actually   
took out tissues and handkerchiefs to wipe away tears.  
  
It was as she finished what was to be her second to   
last song that she spotted the distinctive figure of Nisei   
in the back of the room, where he had apparently been   
standing with his back against the wall for some time. She   
was amazed that she hadn't noticed him sooner, for it   
looked as though he'd been there for quite some time.   
Still, she was pleased to know that he'd shown up. Singing   
through her last song; the same she'd finished with last   
night, she quickly cleared off the stage upon finishing and   
moved to change her outfits.   
  
"Thank you for coming to my performance again."   
Minako managed to catch Nisei as he was preparing to leave,   
her voice stopping him before he reached the door. A   
brief, odd expression crossed his face, as though he was   
relieved and disappointed at the same time, which she   
thought rather strange. However, she knew he was a   
traveler, and that people like he were prone to unusual   
habits.   
  
"I am pleased to have had the chance to hear you sing   
again," Nisei responded, smiling faintly. "You might say   
it called me. I am not disappointed, however. Your   
performance today exceeded the one from last night." He   
stood with his hands in the pockets of his long coat, which   
concealed whatever clothing he wore beneath it to leave   
only his head, with its flowing black hair and matching   
eyes, visible.   
  
"We were all in a great mood for this performance.   
It's the last time we'll have to play in a nightclub or   
bar! We finally were signed to a record deal, and soon our   
songs will be all over the Shin-Muun Kingdom. It's as if a   
dream is coming true for me," Minako said, speaking   
swiftly. Normally she kept a more normal pace of speech,   
but her excitement made her all too eager to talk and share   
her happiness with those who would listen.  
  
"A splendid thing, Miss Minako. I am very glad I   
chose to see this performance, then, though I admit that it   
will be somewhat saddening to know I'll not have the chance   
to see you in person again. Music lacks something in   
recorded form, I've always thought, though it often sounds   
passable, and many people will enjoy it greatly." Nisei   
knew, in his mind, that he should not be talking to the   
woman, and yet he couldn't help it, for some reason.  
  
"You may yet have the chance to see me again,"   
replied Minako, who was surprised by the rather genuine   
sound of his voice. "We could arrange a chance to meet, if   
you would like. We could even have dinner somewhere.   
Would that be something you would enjoy?" She knew, all   
too well, that what she was saying was very easy to   
interpret as a date, but it didn't matter. He was an   
intriguing man, and she wished to know more about him.  
  
"I..." began Nisei, who was caught off guard by the   
offer. Like before, it was something he knew he shouldn't   
agree to or be doing, but before he knew it, the response   
had come from within him. "I would be more than happy to   
do so, if you like. Do you have a preference for when or   
where?" Inside, he cursed himself.  
  
"How about the restaurant that's above the   
spaceport's concourse. Heaven's Cloud, I think it's   
called, and they're supposed to have magnificent food.   
I'll even pay, if you like. I got a great bonus for   
signing the contract, so I'm well able." Minako couldn't   
believe it, for a moment. Had he actually agreed, when so   
often through her life she'd never really been able to get   
a decent man to go with her to dinner?   
  
"That would be fine for me, yes. I will have to   
insist that I pay for it, though," said Nisei, who smiled   
at Minako, much to his surprise. It was not a slight,   
half-smile or a smirk or even a grin, but a genuine smile   
that he hadn't expected to be possible for him. "When   
would you like to do this?"  
  
"How about two days from now at six in the evening.   
Is that all right for you?" she asked after taking a moment   
to determine just when her schedule would be open for them   
to have dinner. Before he could respond, though, Minako   
heard her wristwatch beep loudly three times. Wincing, she   
lifted it and opened the cover to see Ami Mizuno. "I'm   
sorry, I need to be somewhere shortly," she said to Nisei,   
whom surprisingly simply nodded and answered quickly.  
  
"That time is fine. I will see you then." Before she   
knew it, he was out the door and gone, leaving her with the   
face of Ami looking at her quizzically.   
  
"Are you there, Minako?" came her replicated voice.  
  
"Yes, I'm here. I'm sorry, I was in the middle of an   
important discussion," responded the singer.  
  
"I'm very sorry for interrupting you, but I have some   
news for you. Are you in a secure spot?"   
  
"Yeah, I just ducked into the corner of the club. No   
one else is around," said Minako. It had been a reflex to   
take cover as soon as she had been able, born of many   
months of having to take her calls from the other Senshi in   
secret.  
  
"Great. We're having a meeting with Neo-Queen   
Serenity tonight, and it's extremely important. You need   
to be there, if at all possible. Can you make it?"  
  
"It'll be a bit troublesome," said Minako, wincing   
slightly. "We were supposed to have a rehearsal tonight,   
but I guess I can tell them I'm not feeling well. Will it   
be a long meeting?"  
  
"I'm afraid so. This is very touchy business,   
tonight. We'll be beginning at seven, so it's best if you   
can make it by about quarter til."  
  
"I'll do my best. See you then, Ami."  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. I'll see you tonight." With   
that, Ami severed their connection. Minako found herself   
worrying, since normally most of their meetings were held   
on early hours during the beginning of the week, yet it was   
nearly the end of the week and late, as well. What could   
possibly be important to call up and try to gather all the   
Senshi? She'd find out that night, she supposed, and moved   
to get cleaned up in the wake of her long performance for   
the day, so that she'd be clean and rested when she went to   
the meeting.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The old section of Professor Tomoe's laboratory that   
had once been the home of the Witches 5's offices had   
deteriorated with the passage of time, due to the fact that   
he had little desire to go into those old areas after he'd   
been told of what had transpired from their halls. In   
fact, he had been reluctant to let the space be used for   
any purpose until Setsuna had spend a period of time   
talking to him and discussing the need for workspace on the   
behalf of both Hotaru and Jadeite. Eventually, she had   
managed to convince him to allow the section of offices and   
equipment to be rebuilt and replaced with newer systems   
that would suit the Shin-Muun Kingdom's protectors, and   
with the idea that it would cleanse the area of its past   
sins.   
  
It had taken the better part of the week that Jadeite   
and Hotaru had spent on the Earth since their return from   
the Moon to reconfigure all the old materials and computers   
to meet their needs. In fact, all of the old computers had   
simply been torn out and replaced with a set of six newer   
computers that Professor Tomoe had constructed himself to   
be able to perform almost any communications or record   
keeping functions that the pair would need. In addition,   
with the recommendation from Setsuna, he had managed to   
connect them to the monitoring radar of Crystal Tokyo's   
space port, allowing them to track any of the vessels that   
traveled within a considerable distance from the Earth that   
ended perhaps halfway between Earth's orbits with Venus and   
Mars.   
  
"Our first message should be coming in soon," said   
Jadeite, sitting down before two of the computers in the   
room, which sat side by side. "Setsuna left us a message   
that she'd made it to the observatory and finished taking   
the photos. All she needed to do was enhance them and   
clean them up a bit." Thanks to his time with Professor   
Tomoe, Jadeite had become proficient with computers, though   
his skills were actually exceeded slightly by Hotaru's own,   
who had been around them since she was a little girl.  
  
"Sounds like we'll be looking at something rather   
interesting, shortly," replied Hotaru, who was sitting on   
the edge of the table that held the two printers they had   
hooked up to the computer network. "I've never seen a   
starship from outside our Solar System before. What do you   
think it'll look like?"  
  
"We're not totally certain if it really is a starship   
or not, yet. It could be an asteroid or meteor of some   
sort that just happens to be moving in that direction and   
is of exceptional size. I doubt that's the case, though.   
Still, there isn't an abundance of space traveling ships   
outside of the Shin-Muun Kingdom, and even our own are   
rather simple, these days."  
  
"These days?" asked Hotaru, blinking. "Were they   
more advanced in the Silver Millennium?"  
  
"Considerably more advanced, yes. However, they were   
mainly mothballed or destroyed when the Earth fell. The   
Moon maintained a small fleet of its own, but it was   
destroyed when the White Kingdom was attacked." Jadeite   
shifted to look at the computer screen, which had begun to   
flash with an incoming file icon. "Looks like our pictures   
are here. They're printing out right next to you. At any   
rate, the ships we had back then were very artistically   
designed, and don't have the stream lined look that the   
modern vessels do. It was a renaissance style more than   
anything else, I suppose. If you looked at them in the   
right way, they were almost like more aerodynamic   
cathedrals with engines and sometimes sails made to catch   
the solar winds."  
  
"That's odd that you should describe them like that,   
Jadeite," said Hotaru, picking up the first of the printed   
images and looking at it for several long moments. "Did   
they look something like this?" Her slender hand reached   
over, paper in hand, to offer it to the Guardian of the   
Earth. Her voice was distinctly haunted, if only subtly,   
which made Jadeite's blood freeze for an instant. On the   
paper was a ship surrounded by a white outline that Hotaru   
had guessed was to define its outer shape. Within was the   
image of a black structure with what looked like four long   
rectangular sections arranged with two out to the sides and   
two mounted closely atop one another in the center that   
were also marked by a pair of small towers rising from   
their end, where a blue glow radiated light that could only   
be assumed was an engine of some sort.  
  
"That's very similar," said Jadeite, who had to blink   
several times to assure himself that he was seeing the   
image that he believed was there. "I've never seen one of   
that particular model or color, but it's the exact same   
style as we used to use on Earth, right down to the open,   
sweeping attachments between those two outer engine   
structures." He moved the picture a bit closer to his   
face, then set it down, pointing to the two smaller towers   
rising from the end of the center structures. "Ah, yes!   
Those are the command towers, where they run the ship's   
main functions."  
  
"Jadeite, where in the world did a ship like this   
come from if it shouldn't have been around for well over   
two thousand years?" asked Hotaru, who was leaning against   
Jadeite's back to peer over his shoulder at the picture   
after having moved from the printer table. "Was there any   
other planet that made similar designs in the galaxy?"  
  
"None at all, though that's not what concerns me.   
There are markings on the side, and they're totally   
unreadable, but the color of the ship is black, and none of   
ours were ever that color. In fact, they were all white,   
since the materials we used to build them couldn't be made   
in any other color, and painting them would cause them to   
absorb radiation from the sun."  
  
"It must have come from somewhere, though. It can't   
have been created from thin air, after all. Wait a   
minute!" Hotaru cut off her original line of thought   
suddenly when she noticed something, her finger quickly   
moving to point at the markings on the side of the ship.   
"The youma we fought had markings exactly like some of   
those on her face! Particularly that one that looks like a   
twisted K!"  
  
"You're right, those look exactly the same. That   
can't be a coincidence," said Jadeite, looking at the   
markings more closely. Leaning back with Hotaru right   
behind him, Jadeite looked up towards her. "We'd better   
get a hold of Setsuna right away. This is going to make   
things a lot more complicated, and a lot more dangerous.   
If that ship is as predisposed towards unpleasantness as   
the youma was, there are a lot of people in danger."  
  
"Right. We should be able to catch her at the Space   
Port tonight, since she was going to head back to the Moon.   
I'll try and contact Ami, since she's on the Moon, in the   
meantime, and have her relay the message to King Endymion   
and Neo-Queen Serenity. It seems Setsuna wasn't wrong when   
she said that you needed to get your powers back, and   
soon," said Hotaru, moving to set down at the computer next   
to the pair Jadeite was using.   
  
"So it seems. You're right, we'd better get moving.   
I'll study these until we need to meet her and see if I can   
come up with any other information," Jadeite responded as   
he slid his chair in close to the two computers, at which   
he began to type furiously, moving between their keyboards   
quickly and with purpose. "Ami is on the Moon again?" he   
asked quickly, while he typed.  
  
"Yes, she travels back and forth so often that it's   
hard to keep track of her. Like I said before, she's so   
busy that I don't know how she could possibly tolerate her   
life, but somehow she goes on. Regardless, though, I need   
to get her. I hate to make her life any more complicated,   
but I don't think any of us are going to have a choice,   
soon." Hotaru used a few wires to plug into her   
communicator watch so that the entire computer could be   
used to transmit a message to Ami. Conflict, it seemed,   
was written in the stars for the Shin-Muun Kingdom. 


	6. Elegy for the Heavens Chapter 6

Elegy for the Heavens  
By Asura  
(Faded_Seraph@yahoo.com)  
  
This is the finished version of chapter 6, finally.   
Myapologies to those I've kept waiting, but I've been rather  
busy with the college experience, and homework takes a toll.  
In addition, my recent engagement has required a bit of   
forthought for the coming occasion in a year and a half, so  
I've been painfully short on time. Still, I hope to get the  
next chapter out relatively soon, which might be possible,  
thanks to a temporary lull in schoolwork. Yatta ne! Happy.  
In the mean time, I'd like to once more bring attention to the   
fact that Naoko Takeuchi and Toei animation own most of the   
rights to Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, and that the   
American companies DiC and Cloverway own the American   
rights to the series, despite our repeated attempts to sic   
a very, very depraved walrus on them.   
  
Chapter 6: Ningen no Kage: Kanashii Densetsu - Jadeite's   
Home  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The planet of Mars, fourth of the Solar System's   
planets, was no longer the barren, red world it had been   
during the time of the Sailor Senshis' awakenings. Some   
two hundred years had been spent on advanced terraforming   
techniques designed to make its atmosphere more similar to   
that of the Earth's, so that it could be lived on without   
the use of completely pressurized colonies. The entire   
process had begun with the introduction of small microbes   
that had been enhanced versions of Earthly amoebas and   
protozoa. Thanks to the extensive work of people at   
several different Universities on the Earth, they had been   
able to make these basic life forms more hardy and capable   
of producing far more oxygen, while reducing the more   
dangerous contents of the atmosphere.  
  
The thin nature of Mars' atmosphere had also required   
that it be increased so as to reduce the solar radiation   
blasting the planet. This was accomplished by the first   
factories on Mars, which were built in the self-contained   
manner expected of the first colonies on a new world.   
Their emissions, however, had been designed to thicken the   
upper layers of the atmosphere, as well as to heat it up so   
that the temperatures would be more stable and tolerable to   
humans. As years passed, the shielding necessary for the   
factories began to become less and less, finally allowing   
totally transparent greenhouse like shells to cover the   
factories.   
  
As years passed, these were also helped by the   
introduction of increasing numbers of simple life being   
introduced to Mars, in the forms of various algae and   
grasses, as well as mosses and insects. The red sand and   
rocks of Mars' surface, however, with their high iron   
content, had produced a unique kind of grass which was much   
more rigid than that seen on the Moon or on the Earth. In   
addition, the rust, which was so common in the soil,   
stained the grass red, and to some degree, it affected all   
the botanical life of the planet, giving them reddish or   
brownish hues. It was not the rule, however, as several   
kinds of bushes and mosses, which were quite common,   
retained green colors, as did the trees which had been   
planted on Mars. Forests covered a great deal of Mars'   
surface, in fact, comprised largely of the sakura trees of   
Earth's Japan and the maple trees common in the North   
American and European continents of that same world.   
  
Once the factories had no longer needed to produce   
the excess gasses for the atmosphere, they had been   
refitted, and their glass shells had been removed. Many of   
the factories had chosen to only partially remove these   
shells' framework, however, creating a unique, skeletal   
style of architecture that become the predominant style of   
construction for the three major cities of Mars. With the   
wide, skeletal construction techniques, the cities often   
were wide and sprawling, with high speed trains providing   
quick movement between the different sections of the city   
for those who wanted to get between areas quickly. Cars   
were not allowed to be used on Mars, however, for fear of   
upsetting the delicate atmospheric balance with their   
emissions. Long distance travel, which usually consisted   
only of visiting various factories or going between the   
cities, was carried out by an immense high-speed subway   
system built upon the channels that naturally occurred on   
Mars' surface. All of its features made Mars the most   
advanced planet in the Solar System apart from the Earth   
and Moon.  
  
"Where are these ships coming from?" asked a   
panicking man dressed in a red uniform highlighted by white   
stripes and seam work. Standing in an expansive room   
filled with computers and displays of an abundant nature,   
he was the overseer of the Mars Space Traffic Control in   
the capital city of New Vandenburg. "I've never seen their   
designs before, and they're opening fire!"  
  
"We're notifying the local Watchers, but they're   
already under fire from what I understand. We can't seem   
to get a solid communications line to any of the facilities   
in Toui Sapporo or Agean, either." Another man dressed in   
the same type of uniform spoke then, from a seat in front   
of a panel filled with various communications systems.  
  
"The radar confirms ships landing at points near all   
three of Mars' primary cities, as well as in the outlying   
industrial districts of Iron Winds and Steel Town. We've   
also been picking up clutter in the sensors that matches   
the profile of explosions above standard orbit. It looks   
like at least three or four shuttles have been destroyed."   
By far the most professional of the three who had spoken,   
the third worker of the control center was a slender man of   
average build with messy brown hair and a pair of glasses   
that contrasted with his slender blond and black haired   
coworkers.  
  
"Can you get any communications to the Moon or Earth   
to let them know our situation, Steve?" asked a fourth   
person, this one a woman, who stood in the center of the   
room. The shift manager who was on duty that night, she   
was of tanned skin with long auburn hair and a pair of   
glasses. Wearing the same uniform as the others, but with   
a full gold rank bar on her collar, unlike the half-bars of   
the others in the room, she was easy to identify. "See if   
you can get the public news station, too. Tell the people   
to try and evacuate to the smaller structures near the   
center of the city."  
  
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but most of our communications are   
being jammed, somehow. I'm getting nothing but static from   
anything that isn't hardwired. I might be able to get the   
news department, though. Give me three minutes." The   
communications worker was clearly excited, but like all the   
others, he was at least performing under the sudden stress   
of what appeared to be a full-scale invasion.  
  
"I think we can possibly get some sort of signal to   
Earth if I overload the generators that supply energy to   
the radar system. It'd conceivably create a powerful   
enough wave of low-end radiation that it'd reach them if we   
can't do anything else," said the apparent sensor's   
operation commander who had spoken earlier.   
  
"Isn't that a little hasty? We don't know what's   
going to happen to this planet just yet. You seem to be   
counting on a worst case scenario. That makes sense   
though, Mori, when I think about it. You fought in the   
Governmental Revolution on Earth, didn't you?" The shift   
manager spoke again, allowing a resigned acceptance slip   
into her voice near the end.  
  
"I did Miss Junko, yes. If nothing else, war teaches   
one to expect the worst of any situation. Do I have your   
permission to detonate the power generators?" The   
Governmental Revolution had been a major war in which the   
remaining seats of political leaders on Earth, who had   
survived for many years, tried to deny the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom's rule despite the fact that they offered   
prosperity and general autonomy for the former nations   
under their rule. In a two year war, they had finally been   
pushed back and defeated by the Shin-Muun Kingdom's later   
disbanded military.  
  
"What if this is a mistake, ma'am? Maybe this is all   
some staged event," said the panicking radar monitor. "I   
mean, no one could really be invading Mars, right? Why   
would they want to?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Edward, but we have to act on this. Does   
it really look like it's not a serious threat to you? I'm   
sorry," said Junko, sighing quietly. With a nod towards   
Mori, she spoke again. "Go ahead, Mori. If they're   
planning to take this world, then at least they won't be   
able to use our radar once they do." With that taken care   
of, she then stood up and addressed the others in the room.   
"I want this center evacuated as soon as you finish with   
your immediate tasks. This explosion will be quite large,   
and I don't want any of you caught in it."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," answered a haphazard chorus of workers   
around the room. Soon, they were flowing into the elevator   
at the back of the room, filling it until no more could fit   
within its confines.  
  
"Get going. Anyone else can make it on a second trip   
down," said Junko, whose command was quickly obeyed by the   
workers in the elevator. Steel gray doors slid shut, and   
the elevator departed for the ground some eight hundred   
feet below. A bit of movement then caught her eye in the   
now still room. It occurred to her, then, that all of the   
crew had been able to fit in the elevator, except for one.  
  
"My apologies, my dear Junko, but I need to oversee   
this. You should take the elevator down as soon as it   
returns," said Mori, who had turned in his chair to look at   
her. Over time, she'd learned he had a habit of spinning a   
pen between his fingers, and even now he continued to do   
so.  
  
"There's not enough time to do that. You know   
they're going to blow this tower up any moment," she said.   
"It's the only thing that makes sense." She had begun   
walking over towards him as she spoke, and when she   
finished, she was standing right in front of him. "We had   
a good time, these last few years."  
  
"Yes, we did indeed," he responded, pulling her down   
so that he could give her a last kiss before he turned and   
began typing furiously on the keyboard before him. "The   
noise this will create from the pulse ought to interfere   
enough with the Earth and Moon's radar stations enough to   
make them notice something's amiss here. I'm sure they'll   
send some ships to check after that happens, and they'll be   
able to get ready for this. To make it work, though, I'll   
need you to punch in the system override on the panel next   
to me as I finish."  
  
"Tell me when," she responded, sitting down next to   
him. "This really isn't fair, you know. We only had a   
month to wait until we got married."  
  
"I know. But, so long as the last minutes are with   
you, it's not so bad. All right, here it comes. Enter the   
code... Now!" He accented his word with a strike at the   
enter key on his keyboard, which was matched by fast typing   
from Junko. To those outside the tower, the effect was   
stunning. The large cylinders that clung to the slender,   
arcing supports of the tower that served as power   
generators for the radar network exploded in brilliant   
balls of glowing orange and red fire, causing a rain of   
debris that seemed to be falling from Heavens to the ground   
city below. The upper half of the radar control tower then   
plunged down, finally landing in a massive heap of twisted   
metal scrap. However, every other radar on Mars, and even   
those possessed by the mysterious attackers, was blinded   
for a brief moment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The planet of Venus was colonization project began no   
more than two months after the matching project on Mars,   
and it was the first planet in the Solar System to yield   
edible crops that could be transported to the four planets   
of the Shin-Muun Kingdom. Despite terraforming done on the   
world, Venus retained a very thick atmosphere that kept the   
planet's temperature high, and the effect was not   
diminished by the planet's proximity to the Sun. Its   
environment, however, made it the perfect tropic world, and   
it saw a huge amount of life transplanted to its surface   
after the atmosphere was filtered into a state that made it   
breathable to Earth's planets and animals.   
  
Venus consisted primarily of two major continents,   
and three minor ones, the latter of which were considered   
inhospitable despite the efforts of the colonists and   
scientists. The size of the two major continents, however,   
allowed for significant amounts of animal and plant life   
that included the great Amarian Plains, which formed   
approximately two thirds of the larger continent. Here,   
rice had been cultivated, along with hybrid wheat, and   
between those two crops, enough food was made to feed the   
vast majority of the Shin-Muun Kingdom's people, even if   
all other planets were unable to produce anything. Beyond   
these areas, the majority of Venus was covered in jungles   
or rain forest, depending on the distance from the large   
mountain ranges that formed the edges of most of the   
continents.   
  
The three minor continents were the locations of the   
vast majority of Venus' settlements. While they were not   
theoretically necessary, the main cities, and most of the   
minor ones as well, were constructed under massive steel   
and screen domes to maintain a more moderate temperature in   
the cities, rather than allowing them to be baked in the   
constantly near 100 degree temperatures of the majority of   
the planet. Unlike the two larger continents, the smaller   
three also were marked by the remainders of the planet's   
sulfuric seas, which had been kept in check through the   
development of highly advanced and complicated machinery   
that filtered the oceans. These systems actually served as   
one of Venus' most popular attractions for those who   
visited the world, as the facilities often ran much of the   
coasts of the three continents, making them seem to be   
lined with silver to those who had just broken through the   
clouds in transport shuttles.   
  
The smallest continent, named Pandora, was the site   
of Venus' capital city of Angel's Tear, which also had the   
distinction of being the Solar System's most advanced   
spaceport. Built under a dome like the majority of the   
settlements of Venus, the structure that maintained the   
city's environment was known for its sophisticated docking   
system that allowed visiting spacecraft to enter the city   
and land at the port with minimal disruption to the cooler   
atmosphere within. In addition, this process only took a   
matter of seconds, providing only slight slow downs to the   
busy schedule of flights.   
  
"I really wish we hadn't had to have left so soon   
from the Moon," said the soft voice of one of a trio of   
women who had just disembarked from one of the large, white   
shuttles that bore the markings of the Shin-Muun Kingdom.   
Long, soft pink hair guided from a pair of buns into two   
long tails fell from her head, where her pale skin framed a   
pair of matching eyes. "I already miss Elios."  
  
"It's not a long visit, at least. We're just here to   
make sure that the remainders of the Venus Independence   
Movement have fully disarmed and gone through with their   
offer to return to lives of farming," responded a taller,   
more lithe and physical girl, who possessed striking green   
eyes and brown hair that was bound into a ponytail. Many   
people also could not miss the small but elegant earrings   
she wore, made of precious stone in the shape of blooming   
roses.  
  
"It's a shame we won't have any time to visit the   
museums, though, but at least it's only a few quick flights   
around the plains, and then back to the space port. We   
won't be here more than two days," said the third woman,   
who was distinguished by her long black hair. Rei Hino was   
the woman's name, and her violet eyes made people remember   
her easily, just as her companions also possessed   
distinctive traits.   
  
"Ah, that's true. It's good to know that I'll be   
able to get back to the Moon soon. I'm going to have to   
spend a lot of time planning for our wedding. Hey, Makoto,   
do you think I should still ask Hotaru to be my maiden of   
honor for the ceremony?" continued the tall and slender   
young woman with the pink hair. She had a very proper   
bearing to her, giving her an aura of nobility and grace.  
  
"I doubt she'd refuse you such an honor, Chibi-Usa,"   
responded Makoto, who had to pause a moment to adjust the   
simple but elegant green dress she was wearing for their   
diplomatic trip. "Geez, I love this new dress, but it's   
being a pain. This is why I try to always avoid dressin'   
up."   
  
"Stop complaining, Makoto," said Rei, turning to look   
at her and give her a slightly chastising look. "It's only   
two days, so why let it give you so much trouble? Besides,   
we should be concentrating and helping Chibi-Usa finish up   
her latest classes at the University. Let's see if we can   
identify some of the incoming ships, all right?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know it's not long, but you don't mind   
wearing dresses," replied Makoto, who then looked towards   
the deep red and orange hued sky of Venus. "All right,   
let's see what we can find amongst all those clouds." The   
green-eyed woman looked up and scanned for a moment, before   
extending her arm to point to a trio of black ships just   
exiting the shell that protected the spaceport. "How about   
those? What type of vessels are they, Chibi-Usa?"  
  
"Well, they look a lot like standard cargo ships,"   
said Chibi-Usa, squinting as she looked up at the lazily   
descending ships. "They're a little longer, though, and   
they seem more sleek. I can't tell what the little bubbles   
under their fronts are, either." Chibi-Usa had been   
granted good vision, among other things, and she used it to   
good use in her observations, which had stemmed from her   
habit of watching birds fly about in parks on the Moon.  
  
"It doesn't look like a standard type of cargo ship   
or shuttle, does it? I wonder if it's a new customized   
design owned by one of the factories," said Makoto, looking   
over towards Rei, who she realized had stopped suddenly in   
their long walk over to the terminal where the Venus'   
governmental officials would be waiting. "What's wrong,   
Rei?"  
  
"I..." she began, before falling silent for a moment.   
Her cheeks were suddenly flushed, and her eyes were wider   
than Makoto or Chibi-Usa could remember having seen them in   
quite some time.  
  
"Hey, are you all right?" asked Chibi-Usa, turning   
back to look at Rei after she noticed both her companions   
stopping. Soon, she had her hand on the dark haired   
woman's shoulder.   
  
"No, I'm not all right," said Rei, finally speaking.   
"I just got the most horrible feeling. It was unlike any   
I've ever had, even those before Pharaoh Ninety, in its   
intensity and sheer evil, and then it was gone like someone   
had turned it off with a light switch. There's nothing   
there, now. Not even the faintest tingling remains." She   
was holding her chest with her hand, breathing deeply as   
soon as she finished, trying to regain her composure.  
  
Makoto and Chibi-Usa could do nothing but simply   
stare at Rei and try to ponder what her words could   
possibly imply, since they knew that more often than not   
her premonitions were painfully accurate. If what she said   
was true, than something had gone wrong on a scale that   
rivaled any perils they had ever known. It was not a   
pleasant thing to consider in the least, but they had no   
choice. Makoto prepared to say something to break the   
silence, but she was cut off by a sudden, sharp shout from   
Rei.  
  
"Look out!" exclaimed Rei, diving forward to push   
both Makoto and Chibi-Usa forward and to the ground with as   
strong a shove as she could muster. Chibi-Usa fell flat on   
her backside, while Makoto twisted about to come down on   
her stomach and absorbed much of the impact against the   
hard pavement by using her hands to catch herself. It was   
a command that may not have been necessary, but certainly   
made them both feel better with regards to what happened   
next.  
  
From high above, a fiercely humming, glowing yellow-  
green bolt cut through the air, slamming into the ground   
several meters behind where they had been standing a moment   
ago. A deafening crack split the air as it struck,   
unleashing a shockwave that tore a significant hole in the   
pavement and sent cracks in all directions for several   
meters, stopping just short of Rei's feet. As the air   
whipped about them, violently toying with the fabric of   
their dresses, they had to shield themselves from lying   
pieces of the steel and asphalt mixture that made up the   
space port's landing field.  
  
"What the heck was that?" shouted Makoto, springing   
back up to her feet and tearing her dress in the process,   
which was not made with the athletic prowess or activities   
of the woman in mind. "Better yet, who the heck did it?"   
Being shot at was, understandably, something that did not   
please her in the least.  
  
"It came from those three black ships we spotted a   
moment ago," said Rei, who was pulling herself up to her   
hands and knees. "I don't understand why they would just   
open fire like that. Besides, we wouldn't just let enemies   
into the shell, would we?" In theory, every ship that   
sought to pass into the spaceport itself was required to   
transmit a code which would identify it to the air and   
space controllers so that they knew it was safe to allow   
the ship in, and to make sure it wasn't on the list of   
potential contraband smuggling vessels in the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom's criminology databases.  
  
"Oh my! Look at that!" exclaimed Chibi-Usa suddenly,   
who had pulled herself back to her feet after rubbing her   
sore bottom for a moment. The fall on the concrete hadn't   
been painless, but at least she didn't think she had   
injured herself in anyway. Now, she was pointing up   
towards the partially transparent dome that enclosed the   
spaceport. Near the airlock through which the trio of   
black ships had just come, an explosion was blossoming out   
like some great, orange rose.  
  
"This is insane! It's certainly not a crash, since   
they were shooting at us. Does this mean we're under   
attack?" said Makoto, shielding her eyes as a bright flash   
of electricity rippled over the area of the explosion   
above. "That must have been the main power conduit for the   
airlocks! If they're trying to capture this place intact,   
they're not doing a very good job!" Debris was beginning   
to rain down from the dome as well, and as she looked   
closer, she saw something that horrified her.  
  
"We'd better get inside fast!" shouted Rei, trying to   
make herself heard above the series of groans, snaps, and   
outright explosions that were crescendoing throughout the   
spaceport. Along at least five separate bright, white and   
blue lines the dome began to rip apart, raining down metal   
paneling and girders like oddly shaped hailstones as the   
entire structure began to crack like an egg being crushed.  
  
All standing again finally, the trio of women began   
sprinting for the primary concourse of the spaceport, their   
eyes often catching the flashes and their resulting   
explosions caused by the weaponry of the unidentified black   
ships. The dome had yet to collapse inward, but it was   
painfully close, and the sound of straining metal was   
impossible to miss despite the roar of explosions and newly   
started fires.   
  
Makoto reached the door to the concourse they were   
heading for first, and she wasted no time in letting her   
foot lead her way, the flat heels of her shoes, which were   
fortunately of a more normal manner than the high heels   
worn by both Chibi-Usa and Rei, striking and flinging open   
the metal door. A loud metal clang echoed through the   
inside of the secondary concourse, which was primarily   
concrete and steel, unlike the much more pleasant and well-  
decorated interior of the main concourse. As soon as she   
stepped in, passing the door, which had partially been   
knocked off its hinges, she heard the low, monotonous drone   
of the warning alarms that were in place to warn in case of   
massive structural failure or emergency.  
  
"Makoto, was that much force really necessary?" asked   
Chibi-Usa as she came in behind Rei, who stood next to the   
momentarily stopped Makoto. The youngest of the three   
women found herself looking about quickly, trying to   
determine what was going on inside of the building, but all   
that greeted her eyes was the same chaos which had made   
Makoto pause.  
  
"I don't think it's going to matter in a few   
moments," said Rei, her violet eyes staring at the chaos   
which was running rampant just beyond the next door. They   
had arrived in a small entry room, and beyond that was the   
main area of the secondary concourse. People were running   
about, and the sound of shouts and screams made the air   
overbearing and harsh, which seemed to be the results of   
not structural damage, but of men dressed in black uniforms   
with silver and gold trim that were firing at them with   
slender, matte black rifles that fired what appeared to be   
beams of blue light.  
  
"We really don't have much choice at this point, do   
we?" asked Makoto, though her tone of voice made the   
question more rhetorical than a real inquiry. She had her   
hand tucked down into the small, sequined green purse she'd   
brought with her as she spoke, clutching lightly something   
in her grasp.  
  
"I'm not sure who or why, but they're attacking, and   
it's our duty to come out and fight," said Rei, who   
similarly was reaching for her own red purse. She pulled   
out a small, pink colored cylinder not unlike a slightly   
larger version of a lipstick case, decorated by a white   
guard and a pair of wings at the top, as well as a softly   
gleaming ruby. "You'll be fighting as well, Chibi-Usa?"  
  
"I will, of course. I have to protect my mother's   
kingdom." Chibi-Usa, unlike her two companions, simply   
reached up to her chest and gently pulled free a heart   
shaped brooch decorated with gold highlights and several   
small gems on a soft, pink lacquered form. She held it   
high above her head as soon as it was free, her eyes turned   
skyward to match as she called out the phrase that unlocked   
the power within both herself and the brooch.  
  
"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" came the words, and   
almost immediately translucent pink ribbons spun out,   
coiling around her and wrapping themselves about her form.   
As they steadied around her, the ribbons quickly began to   
change forms, becoming clothing of the purest, soft white   
in the form of a sailor fuku accompanied by elbow length   
gloves and calf high boots, trimmed in pink. A pair of   
ornaments decorated the two buns in her hair, and a tiara   
appeared on her forehead, a gemstone softly gleaming in the   
light.  
  
"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!" shouted Makoto,   
holding up her slender pink and white device, which soon   
gleamed with a crystal atop that shone with emerald light   
coming from the astrological symbol of that planet, trapped   
within. Soon, circles of lightning surrounded her,   
rotating and spinning as her outfit disappeared, only to be   
replaced by a sailor fuku and gloves similar to those that   
had just appeared on Chibi-Usa. However, instead of the   
simple low-heeled boots of her companion, she possessed   
laced high-heeled shoes, of deep green color, to match the   
trim of the rest of her outfit.  
  
"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!" said Rei, speaking in   
a quieter voice than either of her two friends. Her   
device, like that of Jupiter's, was a slender pink stick   
with white accents and a gem atop, save that unlike the   
other, hers contained a blazing symbol for Mars, which   
spread out deep red and orange light just before she was   
suddenly surrounded by a ring of fire, her previous outfit   
disappearing to be replaced with a fuku to match those worn   
by the others. Red trim and low cut high-heeled shoes,   
befitting the fire she was known for, completed the uniform   
that identified her as Sailor Mars.  
  
"We need a plan, but we don't even know what we're   
going up against," said Sailor Mars, who had rushed forward   
to the door so that she could peer out through it to   
observe the chaos reigning within the concourse. More   
people were being chased through buy the black uninformed   
men, who seemed to hold no qualms about shooting them in   
the back or kicking them when they were down to make sure   
they had been killed.  
  
"Do you have any idea who they are?" asked Sailor   
Moon, who stood just behind Sailor Jupiter. Jupiter had   
taken up a position opposite Mars, so that she could also   
look through the doorway. "Better yet, do you have any   
idea what they're trying to do?" It was deeply troubling   
to consider that people would have such a blatant disregard   
for human life, and even more so that they could exist in   
this large a group within the Shin-Muun Kingdom.  
  
"I've never seen their like before," said Sailor   
Jupiter, shaking her head slightly. "Whoever they are,   
they look pretty tough for just normal people," she added,   
noting that they were dispatching most of the people whom   
fought back without even firing their weapons. At least,   
they didn't fire until they'd knocked the people to the   
ground and put them in a condition where they couldn't   
fight.   
  
"I remember reading that Venus has a subterranean   
system for storing all the water and emergency supplies.   
Maybe we could guide the people there so they can be safely   
hidden while we try to fight off these invaders," said   
Sailor Moon, who was shifting her stance anxiously. She   
dearly wanted to help the people of her mother's kingdom,   
and it was horribly painful to watch them be killed before   
her eyes.   
  
"We'll need to distract them, somehow, if we're going   
to get the people away safely," said Mars, who began to   
lower her stance, as if preparing to sprint. "Jupiter, can   
you help me attack them, while Sailor Chibi-Moon goes and   
guides them into the underground areas?" She paused a   
moment as she finished, then looked at the pink-haired   
Senshi who now stood beside her. "I'm sorry. I know,   
you're Sailor Moon now."  
  
"It's all right, Mars, but I don't know where the   
entrance to the underground areas is," replied Sailor Moon.   
"How am I going to get them there if I can't find where I'm   
taking them?" It was a legitimate concern, but Sailor Mars   
seemed to be getting a bit impatient, despite her implicit   
trust of the new and younger Sailor Moon.  
  
"There'll be a yellow and black radiation warning on   
the right doors, so you should have no trouble. If we   
don't hurry, there aren't going to be any people to help,   
so we need to go, and now!" said Mars, her purple gaze   
almost set aflame by her rising anger. It was not wholly   
Sailor Moon who was the cause, however. These invaders had   
appeared from nowhere, evading all the methods of detection   
that could have possibly found them, and begun killing   
people without concern or mercy. Such slaughter hadn't   
been known for years.  
  
"Sailor Mars, use your Burning Mandala, and I'll dive   
under it, so I can attack from inside the room," said   
Sailor Jupiter, who got down into a stance akin to a runner   
about to begin a race. "Then, while I'm doing that, you   
can get to the people and start guiding them out of here,   
Sailor Moon," she added, before turning her green eyes onto   
Sailor Mars before giving a nod of her head.  
  
"All right, here it goes," said Mars, taking a deep   
breath before she brought her hands up in front of her.   
Swirling, angry red and golden flames burst into life in   
her grasp, quickly swirling into a roiling inferno that she   
pulled back and then lashed out into the doorway. "Burning   
Mandala!" she yelled, and from her hands shot dozens of   
small, thin discs of flame, almost rotating like some sort   
of gatling gun as they shot through the air.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
There were very few fields outside of Crystal Tokyo,   
due to the nature of the land that surrounded it. However,   
thanks to the evolutions in incorporating nature and   
technology, and the ability to coexist with one another   
safely, there had been a resurgence in the plants and   
animals of the Earth. Here, like many other places, there   
now existed forests and green fields that were popular   
places for the people of the Solar System to visit. Now,   
however, it would serve a very different purpose than to be   
the destination of sightseeing tourists and nature lovers.   
  
A cool, lonely wind caressed the short grass of the   
field, making long ripples along the land before it rose up   
to rush between the leaves of the trees. Not a single   
person dared stand in the area as a black shadow fell upon   
the field, its breadth sufficient to nearly create night   
from day. At first, at least, it seemed that no one was   
there. Two lone figures stood a meager distance from the   
edge of the tree line, watching as a large black ship   
shaped much like a normal shuttle but of much greater size   
and menacing angles to its construction descended towards   
the center of the field. Perhaps most disturbing of all   
its features was the simple insignia painted on its nose.   
Obscenely proud, it was a bastard sword, its silver blade   
dripping blood that seemed to pour from the guard.  
  
Both of the figures, which were discernible as women   
almost immediately, wore sailor fuku outfits of matching   
dark blue-green and dark blue. One possessed hair only a   
shade lighter than her fuku, while the other possessed   
short, but slightly wavy blond hair that didn't seem at all   
similar to the fuku itself, instead matching the yellow bow   
that rested at the front of her uniform.   
  
"It's something of an inappropriate day for this sort   
of thing, don't you think?" said the woman with the blue-  
green hair, reaching up to flip it up from her neck   
slightly. "The sky is so blue, and there are wonderfully   
lazy white clouds floating above." True to her words, it   
was a startlingly beautiful autumn day, and the crispness   
in the air did nothing to detract from it.  
  
"Heh. Yeah, I know what you mean," responded the   
blond, who had her arms crossed in front of her in a   
business-like manner. "It seems much to nice for this sort   
of thing to happen. It is, though, and we're all going to   
be fighting." Her eyes focused on the ever growing ship,   
as it continued its descent towards the ground. "You said   
that only Mercury and Saturn were on the Earth right now,   
right?"  
  
"They're in Crystal Tokyo right now, fighting off the   
troops and youma that got into the streets. I've never   
seen youma quite like that, I have to admit. It's all the   
soldiers can do just to keep them in check. If it weren't   
for the other Senshi, then they'd be doomed," said the   
other woman, speaking again.  
  
"That leaves Pluto on the Moon by herself, doesn't   
it?" The blond seemed somewhat surprised, looking up   
suddenly towards the moon, which was visible even in the   
daylight. "I don't doubt King Endymion will protect her,   
but it seems that there's too much danger for her to be the   
only one there. Maybe we one of us should go up and make   
sure she's safe, Michiru."  
  
"Haruka," said Michiru, or at least Sailor Neptune,   
which was her name in the Senshi form she now too, "it's   
not as if Pluto can't take care of things long enough for   
someone here to get to the Neo-Queen, and Sailor Venus is   
there as well, I think. With luck, this battle will be   
taken care of quickly, and we'll be able to return home.   
Together." The last words were accentuated by a soft kiss   
placed upon the lips of the taller Sailor Senshi.   
"Besides, we've even got Sailor Mercury, Sailor Saturn, and   
the Guardian of the Earth here. There's no reason to think   
we won't win."  
  
"You sound pretty confident," said the other Senshi.   
"Perhaps we'll have to see if they can colonize one of my   
planet Uranus' moons so that we can have a place to stay in   
our original homes, once this is done. Enough of that,   
though. We've got business to take care of now, it seems."   
Her last words were accompanied by an extended index   
finger, pointed towards the black ship, which had extended   
what looked like black, iron skis to land with.  
  
"Do you think they've brought us any presents?" asked   
Sailor Neptune, smiling coyly with a sidelong glance   
towards her companion.  
  
"I'm sure they brought something for us to play with,   
at least," replied Sailor Uranus, who leaned her head back,   
letting the wind pick up her hair and pull the soft bangs   
out of her eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This wouldn't be such a problem if we didn't have to   
worry about the city itself," said Sailor Mercury, who   
stood in a stalwart, battle ready pose, her knees together   
and her feet spread to the sides slightly. "From what I   
make out, there's only five or six youma among the enemy   
soldiers, but they're spread out and it's more than enough   
to keep the Watchers busy."  
  
"I think we've almost got this one." A shout carried   
the words, which echoed through the street over the sound   
of distant screams and yells, intermixed with explosions   
both large and small. "Hey, look out behind you!" The   
voice was female, and it was easily identified as Sailor   
Saturn, who seemed to be slightly upset by the fact she had   
to yell. Outright warfare was not something the Senshi   
really had expected, under any circumstances.  
  
"What? Ah!" Mercury looked over her shoulder, before   
cupping her hands. "Shine Aqua… Illusion!" she said with a   
quiet, unyielding force to her words. She spun, and her   
hands came forward, before spreading out widely to unleash   
a swarm of icy shards that lanced out from a momentarily   
glittering sphere of water that had been in her grasp. The   
sun's high position gave it the perfect angle to cast its   
rays down, causing the miniature icy spears to glitter like   
diamonds as they flew towards the squad of black uniformed   
soldiers, who bore bronze and copper marks of rank and   
honor upon them.   
  
The battle, and in fact, the entire invasion, had   
begun with little warning. Despite the sightings of the   
massive black ship drawing near to the inner planets of the   
Solar System, there had been little warning before the   
first ship burned into the Earth's atmosphere. The sudden   
chaos caused by the appearance of what had to be several   
thousand troops of zealous devotion to slaughter and with   
weaponry that fully matched that possessed by the Shin-Muun   
Kingdom's Crystal Watchers, even exceeding it in some   
cases, had been without limit. The outer sections of   
Crystal Tokyo were now a battlefield, the line dipping as   
far inward as the downtown area of the city.   
  
"It ends here," spoke a quiet voice that came in the   
wake of the sound of falling and shattering chunks of ice   
and the bodies of soldiers. Jadeite, his body stretched   
forward in a lunge, held a gleaming, thin bladed silver   
sword of what appeared to be ancient make in his hand with   
its point piercing the chest of a ruby skinned figure that   
appeared to be female, but with a slick, scaly texture to   
its skin and a lion-like mane of black fur. It had been   
stepping to the side and back a bit, just barely avoiding   
the double crescent blade of the Silence Glaive, but that   
had been simply a move designed to push it into the right   
position for Jadeite to finish it off.  
  
"Great job, you two," said Mercury, turning from her   
small encounter to once face the now, deeply breathing duo   
of Sailor Saturn and Jadeite. "It doesn't feel like we're   
making much progress, though. There's at least..." She   
paused in her words, turning to look about slowly with the   
transparent blue visor of her computer covering her eyes,   
its surface intermittently lit up by flickering golden   
writing. "There's at least five more, mostly to the south   
and east of us."  
  
It was a stroke of luck that the Sailor Senshi of   
Mercury had been needed to return to the Earth, so that she   
could oversee an emergency operation. She'd just finished   
operating when the first shots were fired, and with a bit   
of effort, it had been possible to find Hotaru and Jadeite,   
who were working at the laboratory of Professor Tomoe.   
They'd quickly been able to get together, along with   
Michiru and Haruka, who were heading for an observatory so   
that they could get more conclusive images of the black   
ship.   
  
"We need to find the commander of the Watchers and   
find out how the lines are holding. This lack of   
communication is driving me mad. They were never equipped   
to handle this sort of occurrence, it seems," said Jadeite,   
gritting his teeth slightly as he finished speaking and   
glanced down the street, which was littered with debris and   
defenders of Crystal Tokyo, both moving and unmoving.   
  
"He's supposed to be on Third and Fourth Street's   
corner. It's deep enough in the city that it shouldn't   
have been in any danger, yet," said Saturn, bringing her   
Silence Glaive up to rest comfortably in both hands at her   
waist. "Neptune and Uranus went out to meet the big ship,   
so we can't count on them for help. We're going to have to   
find a way to get rid of these commanding youma more   
quickly."  
  
"Maybe if we can find the center of their line, then   
we can get through and bring up the Watchers," said   
Jadeite, wiping off the green, brackish blood that had   
clung to his blade after he slew the youma. "What we   
really need to do is get behind them. Could you use your   
fog to cover us, Senshi of Mercury?" he then asked, turning   
to look at the Senshi with blue hair.   
  
"I can do it, but they'll probably find that unusual   
on a day like today, considering the weather. It'd be a   
pretty obvious beacon. We'd be hidden within it, but it'd   
be obvious something was going on," replied Sailor Mercury,   
who put her fingers against her chin as she pondered.   
"Still, it might give us an advantage. We could get around   
behind them, if it's in the right place."  
  
"What if we go along the rooftops? There are still   
catwalks from the construction in the old section of the   
city, where they were renovating to the new building   
standards. We could use the fog as a distraction, then,   
since they'll search it, and they'll have less to fight us   
with when we come down on them from above," said Saturn,   
gesturing with the Glaive towards another section of the   
city.   
  
"That could work," said Mercury, nodding as she let   
her visor disappear from in front of her eyes. "The fog   
will burn off within half an hour or so, I think, so we'd   
better hurry once we've got it in place, or they'll be   
returning to their former spots since they'll figure it was   
a trick. If we get this done, then we can also go and help   
Uranus and Neptune. If that ship has many troops on it,   
they're going to be in trouble very quickly."   
  
"Once we're behind them, we should be in the park   
area. We can be slightly more liberal with our powers   
there, so it should be much easier to defeat the youma."   
Jadeite took a moment to slide his sword into the white   
sheath that adorned his hip, then adjusted the pair of   
matching gloves he was wearing. "Let's give them our best,   
shall we?" he then added, smiling faintly towards Saturn,   
and then to Mercury.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Moon Palace City had remained, to a point, generally   
ignorant of the sudden and dark portents that had suddenly   
introduced themselves throughout the Solar System, but it   
was a security blanket, woven only by unintentional   
ignorance, that was to be blown away all too easily.   
Despite the inexplicable jamming of communications from   
Crystal Tokyo, and indeed, most of the surrounding   
continents, there was still a source of information on the   
Earth's status.  
  
The singular, most powerful source of information   
from Earth, unfortunately, was able to only communicate at   
speeds made possible by the flesh, and Sailor Pluto,   
shocked from her meditations within the Crystal Watcher's   
Spire, was forced to make her way to the Moon Palace so   
that she might seek out Neo-Queen Serenity and King   
Endymion to warn them of the impending battles that were   
about to spring up like wildfires on the Earth. Still, she   
was an able person, and it took her only the shortest   
period of time to successfully enter the halls of the Moon   
Palace and bring the information to attention so that it   
could be acted upon.  
  
While that problem was arising elsewhere in Moon   
Palace City, Minako Aino was having a very different sort   
of situation, though one she would later suspect was   
infinitely more pleasant than tidings of impending war   
against unidentifiable foes. Her concerns were dominated   
by a myriad of different matters focusing on the same two   
central issues in her life, at the present. Her career, of   
course, and the quest to become a true idol singer, was her   
number one priority, and she also found herself spending   
time with the new, mysterious individual who she knew as   
Nisei.  
  
The pleasant nature of the restaurant they were   
spending their late evening in was a perfect match to their   
quiet conversation, which focused on subjects that   
truthfully were not all that interesting, save for the fact   
that they were engaging the pair. The topics drifted from   
weather, to the music industry and the larger entertainment   
business itself, and to the decor of the restaurant itself,   
which featured a large number of flowers of a rainbow of   
hues and soft background colors that made the inside seem   
larger than it really was.  
  
"I've never had any really big hits down on Earth,"   
said Minako, smiling a bit ruefully. "It's not too hard to   
travel between there and the Moon, but we it's getting   
around once you're down that's part of the problem, because   
of the limited number of places to leave the planet from.   
It makes it too hard to schedule good concert tours that'll   
include both places, and so I can't really keep my image   
constant in both places, and the industry moves so quickly   
that it causes major trouble."  
  
"It seems like it shouldn't be so bad, if you have   
someone adept at planning your stops in a skillful manner,"   
replied Nisei, furrowing his brow slightly, though he   
maintained a faint smile as he did so. It always seemed   
that he had a positive, if subtle, exterior, to Minako.   
"It's almost mathematical, really, though I confess that's   
not my area of expertise; or even proficiency, for that   
matter. I'm quite bad at it, in fact."  
  
"That's all right, I used to be terrible at that kind   
of stuff when I was in school," responded Minako, laughing.   
It pleased her to know that she wasn't going to be at some   
major disadvantage with Nisei in regards to their academic   
knowledge, which was perhaps a bit silly, when she thought   
about it, but nice nonetheless. "It's not a bad idea, but   
we try to keep the concerts fairly random and   
unpredictable, mainly because there are some fans who get a   
little too zealous and follow you around to every   
performance. It's not too healthy for the poor guys to do   
that."  
  
"I can imagine keeping up with a rigorous schedule is   
quite trying, even to those who know it in advance. So, is   
the idea then to just limit those trailing you to the   
genuinely devoted stalkers and obsessive types?" said   
Nisei, laughing quietly.  
  
"I suppose it has that effect," she replied, laughing   
as well. "It's easier to spot them that way, though. Just   
see who has tickets to every single place I've been in the   
last two months." Indeed, it was actually the method used   
by her small cadre of bodyguards, who ensured her safety on   
the road, though in truth she was quite safe on her own,   
due to her alternate identity as the Sailor Senshi of   
Venus.  
  
"I haven't noticed anybody beyond your group and   
manager around here. Do you have any security staff to   
keep track of things?" The insight was a bit surprising to   
Minako, but she'd come to expect that sort of perception on   
his part over the last few weeks she'd known him. He   
always seemed to be able to connect information, even if it   
was distantly related and seemed to be impossible to deduce   
without some detective work.  
  
"I do, yes, but they only go with me when I'm on   
Earth. The Shin-Muun Kingdom is very safe, but Earth still   
has the widest range of population, from the rich and   
prosperous to the poor and desperate. There's only so much   
that can be done to help them, I guess, but we never stop   
trying. Those that are left at the bottom are usually   
there by choice, in our society. Well, really, they're not   
poor. The poor are usually well taken care of. It's the   
criminals that reside in the few shadows of the Earth even   
today that are the problem. Nothing like that happens here   
on the Moon, though."  
  
"It seems like society has come a long way. My   
grandfather always used to tell tales about how horrible   
things used to be. We always attributed it to his being   
senile, though," said Nisei, smiling faintly and chuckling.   
"No person in their right mind tries to walk thirty miles   
when they have a vehicle in the garage, and it's one in the   
morning."  
  
"Not usually," laughed Minako. "He actually did   
that, huh? Sounds reminiscent of something one of my old   
friends would have done in High School. We used to say she   
was senile, too, though we never meant it."  
  
"What are friends for, after all," replied Nisei,   
with a sly grin. "It's just one of the duties of people   
who are close, right?" It looked as though he planned to   
continue, but his words were changed at the last moment.   
"I hear a distinctly communication style beeping. Is your   
phone ringing?"  
  
"It seems that way," responded Minako, who held up   
the watch on her left wrist, which had begun to incessantly   
make known an incoming call for her. "It find this a lot   
easier than a normal phone," she added, before pushing a   
button and holding up the device so she could clearly see   
the small screen on it. Her conversation was quick, and   
whispered, with her expression being kept perfectly neutral   
until the end, when she frowned slightly, and ended the   
call.  
  
"It seems we have a tendency to be interrupted," she   
said, offering another rueful smile. "I'm needed   
elsewhere, it seems, and it's rather important. You'll   
give me a call, right? I really would like to go out and   
do something again, and soon."  
  
"It's quite all right," he said, dismissively waving   
his hand. "Business is business, after all, and I can   
hardly hold it against you. A shame, though. Things were   
just getting interesting." He offered her a smile and a   
wink, before standing up and helping her from her seat.   
"We'll meet again, most certainly."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I am Kanashii, and my associate here is Kessen.   
We're here to insure that this city falls under our   
shimmering steel gauntlets. Who dares to stand before the   
fury of the Knight Adepts and our Blades of the Lost   
Kings?" The speaker was a tall man, whose outfit was   
notable primarily for two reasons. It shared threads   
common to the uniforms worn by the men even now leading the   
battery of youma that had beset the city of Crystal Tokyo,   
and it was also of eclectic, rich and warlike design.  
  
Strips of armor, fashioned into elongated diamond   
shapes, immediately caught the sunlight that angled towards   
the place the two Knight Adepts were standing, highlighting   
their broad shoulders and their thighs as well. The   
placement was typical of any type of armor that had ever   
been made, but their outfits had differing characteristics   
as well. The one who identified himself as Kanashii had   
violet vines etched into the surface of the half-chest   
plate of silver that covered his chest, while the one known   
as Kessen instead had a red sword of fine detail emblazoned   
upon his, which was also a darker shade, slipping towards   
bronze.  
  
Both of the men had swords resting at their sides,   
which rest in sheaths that were colored in the same hue as   
that of freshly spilt blood. The guards of the weapons   
were colored to match the symbols on their chest plates,   
and the hilts wrapped to match the black, skin-tight   
material that covered the rest of their bodies, which   
appeared to be a leather derivative.   
  
"Sadness and war? Nice names. Sounds like you two   
came from a rather dismal place," said Sailor Neptune, who   
brushed some of her sea-green hair away from her neck in a   
slightly coy fashion, before looking to her companion,   
Sailor Uranus. "You think we should tell them who we are?"  
  
"I think it won't make a difference, but since they   
asked so nicely for our introductions, why not? It'll make   
a good bit to talk about before we kick them out of our   
Solar System." Looking towards them, Sailor Uranus put her   
hand on her hip and prepared to give their introduction as   
the Sailor Senshi of Elegance and the New Age.  
  
"Sailor Senshi Uranus and Neptune, among the most   
powerful beings to live in this galaxy, in theory. We know   
of you already," said Kessen, his voice a lilting, tired   
melody to match the soft, timeless voice of his companion.   
"You will oppose our new order, of that we have no doubt,   
and so there is no recourse other than battle. Still,   
order is important in battle, and so we request the format   
of sequential duels. If you refuse, we will open fire with   
our ships main gun on Crystal Tokyo, and kill as many   
civilians as possible. Now, which of you will fight   
first?"  
  
"You rat, what kind of an honorable tactic is that?   
You're a walking ball of hypocrisy!" exclaimed Uranus,   
raising her fist in a threatening manner towards Kessen,   
who simply smiled faintly in response. "Saying you want to   
duel and then pulling a stunt like that is insane!"  
  
"We have our reasons," said Kanashii, crossing his   
arms over his chest. "Now, will you conform or will the   
innocents in the city instead be the ones to bow to us in   
death?"  
  
"We haven't got a choice right now," said Sailor   
Neptune, resting a comforting hand on Uranus' shoulder.   
"I'll deal with the first one, if you don't mind. It's   
certainly got to be done, after all."  
  
"No, I'll fight first. I want to make them see the   
folly of their ways," responded Uranus, narrowing her eyes   
as she brushed a few strands of her blond hair from her   
eyes. "Just make sure they don't open up with those guns   
on the people in Crystal Tokyo while I'm occupied, all   
right?"  
  
"Naturally. Don't worry. So long as I have life in   
my body, they won't destroy Crystal Tokyo," replied   
Neptune, smiling softly. "Good luck, and be strong." With   
those words, Neptune stepped back from Uranus, moving   
behind her to see who would be nominated to fight against   
the other Sailor Senshi.  
  
"I'm pleased you see it in our way. I shall be your   
opponent, and Kessen will stay aside to insure that your   
companion, Neptune, does not interfere in our battle."   
With a deliberate, slow motion, the tall Kanashii, his   
long, elegant black hair flowing in the wind, reached to   
his side and slid forth the blade at his hip. The violet   
highlighted weapon was serrated on one side, though finely,   
and etchings of vines ran the full length of the mirrored   
blade.  
  
"Heh, I'm glad to oppose one of your idiom," said   
Uranus, pulling from her chest in a gleam of golden light   
the slender, jeweled scimitar known as her Space Sword, one   
of the talismans whose history fell through the ages. "I   
hope you've made your peace with whatever higher power you   
claim to follow."  
  
"I've more than made peace. I've made war." With a   
faint grin, the Knight Adept raised his sword into a guard   
position, to match that made by Sailor Uranus, while Kessen   
and Sailor Neptune moved away from the soon to be   
battleground. It was a sight to behold, truly, as the two   
faced off, their blades catching the sunlight and becoming   
blinding as they waited for each other to make the first   
move. Soon, the sound of blades clashing and of blood   
being drawn would echo throughout the clearing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was amongst the gloom and shadows of fog that many   
of the soldiers and youma from the unknown source were   
scouring the streets and field on the edge of Crystal Tokyo   
in an attempt to find the source of the sudden climactic   
abnormality. Many remained at the edges, hanging back to   
provide quick, hard support when the time was right to   
strike at the fools who dared to mock them with such   
unusual tactics. Unfortunately, the back line was not back   
far enough.   
  
"Take this," spoke the cool voice of Jadeite in a   
harsh manner, his right hand drawing back so that it could   
hold a crackling orb of lightning, the tendrils of which   
flickered around him and brought the scent of ozone to   
prominence in his area. It was set to a count of sixty,   
and only a few scant moments remained. Then, it was time.   
He shoved his hand forward, and the glittering ball of   
electricity vaulted forth, arrowing towards a cluster of   
soldiers some twenty to thirty meters before him.  
  
The ground shuddered, and he knew it wasn't only from   
his attack, but the combined force of Sailor Mercury and   
Sailor Saturn unleashing their abilities as well. The   
glimmer of water catching sunlight, despite the fog, caught   
his attention for an instant, as ribbons of icy cold liquid   
lashed out from nearby the concealed position of Mercury,   
before the true most devastating power was unleashed. The   
source of the shaking earth was the rapidly expanding field   
of purple energy, which was immolating a large crowd near a   
building not far away. Words reached his ears, appropriate   
to each attack used by the Senshi, their voices intertwined   
as they called out those phrases.  
  
To add to the effects of the Silence Glaive Surprise   
and the Aqua Rhapsody was the echoing crack of thunder,   
which struck out in the wake of an expanding wave of   
interlaced arcs of electricity that wove through a group of   
the soldiers, and a few youma as well. In the wake of the   
devastating trio of impacts, some of the soldiers stood   
stunned or surprised, while others were holding their ears   
from the concussive force of the thunder. Still, plenty of   
them remained upright and ready to fight.   
  
Tearing through their ranks was not as difficult a   
task as Jadeite first suspected it might be, as he made   
deft, killing motions with the polished white and silver   
sword in his hand, rushing through in the wake of the   
strikes by he and the two Senshi so that they might join up   
with one another near the building to give them a place to   
fight from without the chance to be surrounded. The   
soldiers had gathered their wits quickly, and had come to   
rely on the blades at their sides to fight instead of their   
ranged weapons, which were quickly rendered useless in the   
massed group that sought to fight only a few.  
  
Mercury had the most trouble making her way through   
the body of soldiers, though she did not waste any time in   
trying to fight them physically, instead using her   
abilities to knock them away left and right so she could   
meet up with the other two. Ice clung to those around her   
and weighed them down, when it didn't freeze them or   
occasionally make them drop and shatter some portion of   
their body, which Mercury did her best not to notice.   
  
Saturn seemed to have little trouble, her Silence   
Glaive keeping a wide berth devoid of enemies around her.   
Even some of the youma that ventured close found themselves   
significantly reduced in size by the wickedly sharp edge of   
the blade, which Saturn had increased her understanding and   
skill with in the recent time past the battle with the   
first youma in Crystal Tokyo. Finally, she reached   
Jadeite, whom, much to their mutual surprise and   
subconscious action, reached out to take her willing hand   
for a moment, before they turned with their backs to one   
another and began to fight towards Mercury.  
  
"All right, we've got this part of the plan done!   
Now we just need to wait for the Crystal Tokyo Soldiers to   
meet us and then we can get rid of these guys," said an   
excited Sailor Mercury as the two reached her. It was   
always satisfying to see a plan proceed well, and it gave   
her a great sense of accomplishment.   
  
"Right. We'll be able to clean up this mess and then   
get down to figuring out where they came from," said   
Jadeite, still back to back with Sailor Saturn, who was   
wielding her Silence Glaive in harmony with his sword to   
leave little or no openings for the soldiers to exploit.   
  
"The price will be high, though, I am afraid. Still,   
the price which is exacted upon them shall in turn be   
higher, as is necessary," said Saturn. She was not   
vengeful, nor was she particularly cruel, but her nature as   
the Senshi of Destruction made her also understanding of   
the fact that her sphere of power was being called on to   
settle this war, which she had a distinct feeling would be   
one that saw no quarter given them by their enemy. 


End file.
